The Lunar Princess of the Earth
by PrincessSerenity1976
Summary: ***COMPLETE...Sequel is up!*** There is more to Serena and Darien's past in the Silver Millenium than anyone could have ever guessed. Now lost memories and hidden secrets intrude on the present as a new evil makes itself known. Two years after StarS
1. Troubled Days and Nights

Disclaimer : I do not own Sailor Moon, you know it and I know it.

_**ENJOY !!!!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 1

Troubled Days and Nights

The full moon was rising over the city of Tokyo. As it quietly made it's way across the dark, star dappled sky, it shot a beam of bright, silvery light through a gap in the curtains that covered the windows of a bedroom in the Juban district. The soft glow illuminated the room, showing light pink walls and the rest of the décor that clearly showed that this room was the haven of a young girl.

There were a few pieces of clothing thrown over the chair in front of a desk that had a few books and papers stacked near a computer that had an odd screensaver of bunnies hopping across the screen. The bookshelf next to the desk held an impressive manga collection with a few paperback books scattered in the mix. There was also a small mountain of assorted stuffed animals next to a dresser that had a couple of drawers partially open and a few random clothing items hanging out of them. The walls had framed pictures hanging on them. Some of the pictures were of a family, while some contained a group of girls, smiling and laughing as they posed for the shots.

The nightstand next to the bed held a small lamp and a battered alarm clock that looked as if had been repeatedly thrown at the wall. On this nightstand was also a slender vase holding a beautiful, long-stemmed, blood red rose next to a photograph in a silver frame. The picture was of a girl with long blonde hair that was held in two buns on top of her head before trailing down into pigtails on either side of her face. On her face was a wide, happy smile that went all the way up to her big, sky-blue eyes. Of course it was easy to see why she would be so happy. Behind the girl stood a young man who had his arms wrapped around her. Tall, with shiny, coal black hair and eyes of the deepest sapphire, it was guaranteed that he had made quite a few women swoon.

The moonlight fell across the bed, in which the blonde girl from the picture was currently laying in. Fast asleep, she appeared to be resting comfortably until the moonlight shined upon her face. She gave a small moan and grimaced as if she was dreaming something unpleasant. Suddenly a small crescent moon symbol began to glow on her forehead.

Serena was conscious of the fact that she was dreaming. This was a recurring dream that she had come to expect whenever she was stressed out or had a particularly bad day. Well, at this moment, she was stressed and had been through a day that she hoped she never had to experience again.

First, she had almost been late to school that morning. While this was not an uncommon occurrence for her, it was harder than usual for her to get up this morning because there had been a youma attack the night before that had kept her from getting to bed until 3 am. Since this was the first time that the sailor scouts had had to fight an enemy for almost two years, she wasn't used to the lack of sleep anymore. The battle had been long and hard, but in the end, she and the scouts had managed to destroy the youma. But the presence of that youma bothered her greatly. Everything had been peaceful and quiet since Galaxia's defeat two years before. She didn't want to face the possibility of a new enemy now when she was busy with so many other things.

Second, since she was only two weeks away from graduating high school, it seemed like all of her teachers had saved all of the hard work for the last minute. She felt like she had reports and projects due in every subject, and they all had to be turned in and receive passing marks in order to be presented with her diploma on graduation day. Luckily she had completely changed her study habits in the last couple of years, so now she was actually a decent student, but it was still a lot of hard work in a short amount of time. The only people not having a complete nervous breakdown at the size of their workload were Amy and Melvin. Of course, the two of them thrived on academics with what seemed to be very little effort. Thank goodness they were both close friends and willing to help her study when she was having problems with anything.

On top of all the stress she had going on in school, you would think that home would be a nice, quiet sanctuary where she could relax while working on all of those crappy assignments. Not even. Her mother was running around like an escapee from a mental institution. She had insisted on throwing a graduation party for Serena and her friends at the house following the ceremony. Serena had protested, saying that they had plans for a party of their own, including a sleepover at Raye's temple. Mrs. Tsukino had waved away her daughter's protests saying that even though the girl's were about to embark on their own lives, they should share this with their families. Serena found it too hard to disappoint her mother, so she was letting her throw the party and she and the girls would have their own celebration later that night.

So with herself and all of her friends all wrapped up with trying to finish up high school, and her mother constantly popping in and out to ask her questions like, 'What kind of cheese should we have?' or 'Which table linens would look best?' Serena was just grateful that she wasn't brain dead yet. Luckily, she still had her pillar of strength to lean on.

Darien…oh how she feel calmer just by thinking of him. Granted he was several thousands of miles away attending college at Harvard, as he had been for the last two years, but they stayed in constant contact. Unlike the first time he had left and Serena had gone several months without hearing from him, of course Galaxia had a hand in that, they both had cell phones that they could dial at any hour and hear each other's voice, unless they were in class that is. But if they missed a call, they made sure to return it as soon as possible. Another great investment that kept them close during this separation was the web cams that they each had installed on their computers. So not only could they talk to each other often, they could see each other too. It made the situation a little bit easier to bear.

But right now Serena felt anything but calm as she began to moan and thrash about in the bed, clearly in the grips of a disturbing dream. She began crying out and calling "Endymion" in her sleep. She jerked suddenly, causing her leg to collide with the body of the black cat that slept at the end of her bed.

Luna came awake sharply as she took in the sight of her mistress tossing and turning on the bed. All of a sudden she stopped moving and just lay there with tears streaming down her cheeks from under her closed eyelids. "Endy", she whispered brokenly, and then was silent.

'_The poor dear.' _Luna thought to herself '_She's been under so much pressure lately. I'm not surprised that she's having that nightmare again.' _Luna was the only person besides Darien that Serena had ever confided in about her recurring nightmare. In it, she was forced to relive the fall of the Moon Kingdom, along with the deaths of all of her friends, Prince Endymion, and herself. It was a heart-wrenching experience that usually left Serena feeling tired and blue the next day.

Seeking to comfort her princess, Luna made her way up to the head of the bed. Just as she nuzzled up to Serena's damp cheek, Serena shot upright in the bed, eyes wide with panic and said "Melody" before dropping back onto her pillow with a small cry.

"Serena are you okay?' Luna asked, her voice heavy with concern.

Serena turned her tear filled eyes toward her feline advisor before reaching out and dragging Luna to her chest to hold her in her arms. Her body was shaking uncontrollably. "Oh Luna," she said on a sob, "it was horrible."

"Was it the old nightmare again?" Luna inquired, her heart aching for the girl.

Serena sat up. "Yes…and no. I mean it started out the same, but there was something different this time." Her brow wrinkled as she thought hard about the dream she had just experienced. "I can't remember what exactly, but something was different."

"I'll say, you just about tore the bed into pieces, and came close to kicking me across the room." Luna said with a hint of exasperation in her voice.

"I'm sorry Luna." Serena apologized as she hugged the cat tightly to her chest.

"It's quite alright." Luna said as thought about what she had witnessed as Serena had been in the throes of her nightmare. Then something struck her. "Who is Melody?"

"Who?" Serena asked, still slightly dazed.

"Melody" Luna said, "You called out that name right as you woke up."

Serena shook her head slowly. "I don't know anyone by that name, and I don't think I did in my past life either. What about you Luna, does it mean anything to you?"

Luna thought for a moment. "No, it's not ringing any bells with me either, but you said the dream was different from what you have seen in the past."

"Yeah, but I can't remember why. Everything's all fuzzy." Serena said, frowning. "Maybe I'm finally losing what little bit of sanity I've been able to hold on to for the last four years."

"Ha ha, very funny..." Luna began, but was cut short by a beeping sound coming from the watch on Serena's wrist.

"Oh no, this can't be good news." Serena groaned. She pushed a button on the watch and an image of Sailor Mars filled the small screen.

"Rise and shine Meatball Head. We've got a youma loose down by the docks. We could use some moon power, so get your ass in gear." Sailor Mars growled. Apparently she wasn't very happy about being pulled out in the middle of the night either.

"I'm on my way Raye, see ya soon." Serena answered. As she cut the transmission, she was already reaching for the broach she kept under her pillow at night.

"Moon Eternal Power" she called softly to keep from waking any of her family. A soft pink light and white feathers filled the room and surrounded her briefly before fading and revealing the Sailor Scout of love and justice, Sailor Moon.

"Oh well, I didn't feel like going back to sleep just yet anyway. Good thing tomorrow is Saturday, huh Luna. At least I don't have to worry about making it to first period English on time. See ya in a little while." And with that Sailor Moon leapt out of the bedroom window.

Luna stared sadly after the figure of Sailor Moon running off into the night. "Please be careful Serena." she whispered softly. To be honest, she had a really bad feeling about what may be waiting for them in the near future. She couldn't help but think that the emergence of these new youma and the change in Serena's nightmare spoke of trouble coming. Thank goodness Darien would be home next week. She had a feeling that the Moon Princess was going to need her prince by her side now more than ever.

"Melody" she said to herself. For some reason that name made her feel unbearably sad. Troubled, she curled up on the windowsill to wait for Serena's return.

A/N End of Chapter 1. I hope it wasn't too slow, but this is new idea for me and I am just trying to lay some ground work. I don't know how long this story will end up being, but I am intending for it to be quite long. Please R & R, constructive criticism is welcome, but flames will be extinguished.

Later,

Sere-chan


	2. The Morning After

**A/N** Hey guys, I didn't think I would be ready to post again this soon, but the response I got for Chapter 1 inspired me to get my butt in gear and finish up what I needed to do for this chapter. A _**HUGE**_ thank you to everyone who reviewed and messaged me on the first chapter, you guys are the greatest.

**Silvermoonlight9** – Thanks for the wonderful words of encouragement. It may take a while to get around to exactly who Melody is, but she will play a major part in this story.

**xo Usako ox** – I'm glad you like the start, I was afraid that it might be a little slow. I enjoyed describing Serena's room. It's just the way I have always pictured it. Thanks.

**Princesa de la Luna** – I'm afraid I don't draw very well…lol. I have just started making videos for youtube, but if at all possible I would love to make a trailer for this story….hmmm…something to think about. Thanks for the tip on those other mangas and stories, I'll be sure to check them out and thanks for the review.

**snoopykid** – Thanks for reading. I am going to try to post as often as I can, but unfortunately I have a little problem with OCD. I have a really bad habit of rereading and tweaking my stories until I feel like they are at their best.

**JmacKarla** - I'm thrilled that my descriptions helped. For some reason that just seems to be the way I write. Thanks for reviewing.

**ffgirlmoonie** – Interesting huh? I hope that means something good. 

Anyway everyone, here's chapter 2, I hope it goes over as well as chapter 1, and remember I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the original characters, but when Melody and a few other characters I have planned show up, they are mine.

**ENJOY !!!!!**

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 2

The Morning After

Luna cracked open a sleepy eye as a beam of sunlight fell across her face. Yawning and stretching, she got up from her place at the foot of the bed. She looked up toward the head of the bed where Serena was now sleeping peacefully. Glancing at the clock, she wasn't surprised to see that it was 10 am. Serena hadn't gotten home from the youma battle until almost dawn. When she had crawled through the window, all that she had said was that the problem was taken care of and that she was tired. Detransforming, she had fallen across the bed and had been asleep almost instantly.

Figuring that Serena deserved to sleep in a little bit this morning, Luna jumped from the bed and crossed the room to the desk. With a few taps on the keyboard, the hopping bunny screensaver disappeared and she had opened a window that showed a webcam view of a bedroom that made Serena's look positively spic and span.

Decorated in various shades of orange and gold, the room looked like a small hurricane had been through there. There were clothes, make-up, and magazines on every available surface.

Grinning, delighted that Mina had neglected once again to turn off her camera, Luna surveyed the room until she found what she was looking for.

There was a large, blanket covered lump in the middle of the bed. Here and there Luna could see a few strands of long, golden blonde hair, not unlike Serena's, trailing out from under the bright orange comforter. There was also a slim, bare foot with shiny gold painted toenails hanging off the side of the bed. None of this interested Luna at the moment. Her attention was focused on the long white tail the was poking out from under the blanket,

"Artemis." Luna called softly, getting no response.

"Artemis." she spoke a little louder now. This time she was certain that she saw the tail twitch.

"Artemis, you lazy alley cat I know you can hear me! Don't ignore me when I am talking to you!" Luna was now practically yelling, having lost the patience of trying to be quiet and polite.

Three things happened then in rapid succession. First, out of the corner of her eye, Luna saw Serena jump about three feet off the bed. Second, at almost the same moment, she saw the blanket covered mound on the computer screen jump just as high. Third, she saw a white streak fly across the orange room to smack against the wall. Three thumps were heard, and then the startled exclamations.

"What in the…"

"Holy…."

"Luna!"

Luna couldn't help herself. The whole situation was so comedic that she broke into soft giggles. Soon those giggles turned into full-blown laughter and she rolled around laughing until she had tears in her eyes. She finally got control of herself, and taking a deep breath got up from where she had been rolling hysterically a few moments before, only to find herself being glared at by three very angry sets of blue eyes.

If looks could kill, Luna knew that she would be one fried kitty right now. As it was, she tried to look sincerely apologetic before looking up at Serena, who was now sprawled on the floor next to her bed. Glancing quickly at the screen, she saw Mina in a similar position with Artemis lying in an undignified heap not far from her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you girls up." Luna apologized quickly. "I was just trying to get Artemis's attention and he was ignoring me."

"I was not." Artemis grumbled. "I was dead asleep when you started screeching like a banshee." he complained while rubbing a paw over his head where it had made contact with the wall.

Luna scoffed at that, "Don't try to feed me that old excuse, I know better than that. You seemed to have forgotten about the little detail that when you are pretending to be asleep and I am trying to talk to you that your tail twitches involuntarily."

Artemis hung his head as a slight blush came up to stain his cheeks. He had not thought about that dead giveaway when had first heard Luna's voice. Damn, and he had thought that he would get away with it. He should have remembered that that infuriating female knew him better than he knew himself.

"Anyway girls," Luna said, "I really am sorry for waking the two of you up. I know that you both must still be worn out from the fight last night."

"That's okay Luna." Serena mumbled around a yawn. "As much as I would like to sleep in a little more, I really need to get started on all this homework so I don't have to spend all weekend doing it."

Mina growled menacingly, "Speak for yourself, I haven't had my full eight hours of beauty sleep yet. I'm going back to bed. Whoever heard of the Goddess of Love walking around with bags under her eyes? Good night!"

With that, Mina stood up and then flopped back onto her bed before pulling the covers up over her head and assuming her former position of a blanket covered lump in the middle of the bed.

Serena let out a small sigh as she shook her head and smiled before walking toward her bathroom to take a shower. '_That Mina will never change." _ she thought fondly to herself. It was true. Even though her body had grown and matured over the years, Mina was still the same bubbly and energetic, although sometimes flaky, person she had always been. But besides her ditzy blonde moments, she was a great fighter and a fiercely loyal friend, and Serena wouldn't have her any other way.

She glanced at a picture hanging on the wall beside her bathroom door. It was a large group photograph that had been taken two years ago right after the final battle with Galaxia. Eleven pairs of eyes looked out of the framed picture at her. She herself was in the middle of the group, a bright smile upon her face. Behind her was Darien, her own Prince Charming. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her as he gave his trademark lopsided smile to the camera.

To Darien's right was Amara, who had her arm slung around Michelle's shoulders in a casual embrace. To his left was Trista who was standing tall and quiet as always, but if you looked closely, you could see the small smile playing around her lips.

Standing on Serena's right were Mina and Lita, both wearing huge Cheshire cat grins as they beamed at the camera. On her left were Raye and Amy, also with big smiles, but somewhat more subdued than the other two.

In front of all of them were the smallest of the group. Rini had come back for a brief visit and had been excited to be able to join them for the picnic at the park that day. She stood at the very front of the picture with Hotaru locked in a tight embrace, their faces alight with laughter.

Serena smiled as she looked at every face in the picture. These people were more than just her best friends, they were more than the heroes of justice. She considered every one of them to be family to her, and shuddered every time she thought about how close she had come to losing all them for good.

It seemed sometimes that the past was destined to repeat itself. A thousand years ago in the Silver Millennium, they had all given their lives to protect her and her kingdom. At least in this life she now had the power to help them fight and try to keep history from coming full circle.

Sometimes she thought that she wasn't doing that great of a job. Looking back, she realized how many times they had died or almost died over the years. In the battle against Queen Beryl, Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus had all died along with Prince Endymion. Of course she didn't come out of it too well herself. Luckily the Silver Crystal had granted her wish and they had all been given a second chance.

In all their other fights against the Dark Moon family and Wiseman, Pharaoh 90 and Mistress 9, and the Dark Moon Circus and Nehelenia, she had seen all of her friends be put into mortal danger time and again. She knew that as Sailor Scouts it was their mission to protect the Earth from enemies, but it broke her heart every time one of them got hurt.

Of course the one that haunted her the most was Galaxia. Seeing her fellow scouts fall one by one as they had their star seeds stolen and finding out that Darien had been targeted months before had almost been her undoing. To this day she honestly didn't know how she made it through that particular battle. She had thought for sure that that was the end and that she had lost all of them forever. She remembered after Galaxia had left she was just floating there in mid air thinking to herself about how now she was going to be all alone. Life would never be the same again. She wished for a moment that Galaxia had taken her too, at least then it wouldn't hurt so bad. But she had fought the evil back and had saved the Earth from destruction once again. She knew her friends would all be proud of her.

Then fortune smiled down on her as all of the star seeds that had been released were allowed to return to their lives, and she suddenly found herself surrounded by all of her loved ones once again. As she stood there with tears streaming down her face and locked in her loves tight embrace, she made a promise to herself that no matter what, she would do all that she could to keep these special people safe from now on.

The last two years of peace had made it easy to keep that vow. So far, the worst things that she had had to deal with were helping her friends get ready for dates and being a shoulder to cry on when one of them had a falling out with a boyfriend. She would have been perfectly happy with things staying that way, but with two youma attacks two nights in a row, she couldn't shake the feeling that something big was looming on the horizon.

Luckily keeping an eye on her friends and trying to keep them safe wasn't entirely on her shoulders anymore. Before he left for college, Darien was finally able to figure out how to use the Golden Crystal's power to resurrect his generals Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoisite. At first the other girls had been horrified at the idea and didn't want to have anything to do with them, but as time went on, they were able to see that these men were truly the noble knights from the past and not Beryl's brainwashed puppets.

Of course Mina was the first to give in, she had always had a weak spot where Kunzite was concerned. Amy followed not long after. Never being one to hold a grudge, she had decided to give Zoisite a chance and they had been together every since. The others took a little longer. Lita and Nephrite had some knock down drag outs before she confessed what emotions were fueling these battles and gave in to them. Raye, being the fiery tempered priestess she was, was determined that she wasn't going to degrade herself by crawling back to someone who had betrayed her heart and murdered her a thousand years before. This of course caused screaming matches to break out between the two of them whenever they were anywhere near each other. Finally one night when they were all at a club Jadeite had finally had enough and stormed out onto the dance floor where Raye was dancing with a guy that had hands that wanted to wander too much. Grabbing her by the arm, he had hauled her back to the table where the rest of them were sitting. When she opened her mouth to let loose a stream of curses at him he bellowed, "Dammit woman, you're pissing me off. Can't you see I love you?" He then proceeded to kiss her firmly, and the rest was history.

They had all had some fun times in the last two years. Serena sometimes felt like the odd one out with Darien being gone, but everyone always tried to make her feel included with the group. Whenever he could, Darien's best friend Andrew would join the group, and that made her feel a little better. She had known Andrew her whole life and had always looked up to him like a big brother. He was at kind of a loose end himself. His long time girlfriend Rita and him had broken up a couple of years back and it had shaken him up pretty bad. His emotions still a little raw, he had not gone back into the dating scene yet, preferring just to hang out with friends. He was fun to be around, and he and Serena would always share their latest news from Darien when together.

"Hello, Earth to Serena. Is anybody in there?" Luna's voice broke through Serena's thoughts causing her to jump a little.

"I'm sorry Luna. What were you saying?" she asked turning around to face her feline guardian.

Luna blew out an exasperated breath. "I asked if you were going to take a shower or if you were going to stand there staring at that picture all day. You seemed like you were in another world."

Serena let out a small giggle. "I guess I spaced out for a minute there. Maybe the lack of sleep is getting to me. After all, I'm not used to fighting youmas all hours of the night anymore. I'm horribly out of practice."

"Are you sure that's all?" The black cat questioned her, looking directly into the blonde girl's blue eyes.

Serena knew what Luna was hinting at. She wanted to know if the memories of that dream were bothering her. Honestly it hadn't even crossed her mind. There really wasn't anything to think about since she really couldn't remember any of it.

"Really Luna, I'm fine. I'm off to shower." With that said, Serena went into the bathroom and closed the door. A minute later the sound of running water could be heard.

"So Luna, what was so important that you had to give me such a wonderful wake up call this morning." Artemis's voice, heavily laden with sarcasm came from the computer.

Luna quickly shook off her thoughts and turned back to address him. "Oh for crying out loud Artemis, I apologized for that already. No need to keep bringing it up." She responded to him haughtily. "But I would think that as a guardian yourself, you would be just as concerned as I am about recent events. I mean nothing for two years, and then suddenly two nights of youma attacks in a row. This could be serious."

"Yeah I know what you mean. I don't know what to make of it either, but I need more than two hours of sleep to function. Man, I could seriously use a caffeine injection right about now." Artemis grumbled, more to himself than to Luna.

Luna scoffed loudly. "Really, it's after ten. Serena got home around five, so I know Mina got there at around the same time. I'm sure you've had close to five hours sleep. You can function on that."

"Actually Miss Know-it-all, yes Mina got home around five, but Kunzite came with her and we spent some time brainstorming trying to figure out what the hell is going on." Artemis was definitely needing that caffeine right about now.

Luna took a step back from the screen in alarm. "I'm sorry Artemis, I didn't realize that. Well, did you figure out anything?"

"Not a clue." he sighed. "We don't have anything to go on. No idea where they come from. We don't know what they are after, and get this. Their energy signal is unknown. Mercury's computer can't even begin to guess what they are."

Luna was baffled. Sailor Mercury's computer was the most scientifically advanced computer anywhere. It had never failed before. So what were these strange enemies that not even Mercury could understand?

"Anyway," Artemis continued, "that's not what had Mina all fired up. She was concerned about Serena."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked. The only thing she could think was that maybe Serena might have still been upset after her nightmare and it might have been obvious to the others.

"Well," Artemis said, "according to Mina and Kunzite she came rushing into the battle and started trying to take that youma on all by herself. They said it was almost like she was trying to push them out of the fight completely. It was the same the night before. They're afraid that she is taking unnecessary risks."

Hmm…that didn't sound like Serena, but she wasn't the same as she was a few years ago. She had grown from a klutzy crybaby into an intelligent young woman. Luna was very proud of the way her princess had turned out. When she had first met her four years ago, she had thought that it would never happen. But she had proved everyone wrong. She started studying harder and stopped being so loud all the time. She began to carry herself with more grace instead of tearing around headlong into things. In Luna's eyes, she had finally become the Moon Princess that she had been destined to be. She still had a little more growing and maturing to do, but Luna had no doubt about what kind of Queen she would one day become.

"I'll speak to her." Luna said to Artemis. "She's got a lot on her mind right now. She may not have even been conscious of pushing the others back. She may just have been taking her frustrations out on that youma."

"Yeah, maybe." Artemis replied. "So, what did you need to speak to me about?"

"Oh, that's right." Luna said, bringing herself back to the original reason for contacting him. "I was wondering if you could still access the personal files in the Moon's main computer."

Artemis cocked his head slightly. "Probably, but what for? We got everything we needed out of those years ago."

Luna heard the shower turn off and hurriedly said, "I just want you to run a name through the data base and see if you get anything."

"I can try. What name is it?" Artemis asked.

"Melody" Luna said, feeling that wave of sadness come over her again.

"Melody?" Artemis responded, "I'll see what I can do. Why don't you meet me at the arcade in a couple of hours and we'll see what we find."

At that moment the computer beeped and a message flashed up in the bottom corner.

"Sounds good." Luna said. "I better go now. Darien's messaging and Serena will go nuts without her daily fix."

Artemis signed off, and with a few taps Luna pulled up another screen. This one showed a tired looking, tousle haired Earth Prince. He was leaning back in his chair looking much more rumpled than usual in a wrinkled white shirt. His eyes closed at the moment.

"Hello Darien." Luna snickered to herself as she saw one deep sapphire eye open.

"Oh hey Luna." Darien mumbled around a yawn. "Is Sere around? I need to talk to her for a sec."

"She should be out any minute, I heard the shower turn off a few minutes ago." Luna said.

Right on cue the bathroom door flew open and Serena streaked across the room. Her robe hastily thrown on and a towel wrapped haphazardly around her head. She flopped down in her desk chair and exclaimed happily, "Hey sweetie, I thought I heard your voice."

Darien's face lit up as he looked at her. "Good to see ya baby. How's things going?"

Serena paused for a second. "Things are hectic and a little crazy, but fine." Serena nudged Luna with her foot to keep her from saying anything. The cat looked completely astonished that she was not telling him about the recent attacks. "How are you doing?" she asked.

" Just trying to get my last two finals done so I get things wrapped up and get home to you. Looks like you might need my help. So when were you going to tell me that you have spent the last two nights throwing yourself in front of youma attacks?"

'_Oh crap, busted.' _ Serena panicked, completely at a loss for words.

**A/N ** Okay just a little bitty cliffhanger. It just seemed like a good place to end this chapter. Please remember to R & R. I love to hear what people think so far. Any ideas and constructive criticism is appreciated, but as I said in the first chapter, all flames will be extinguished.

Sere-chan


	3. Big Brother is Watching

**A/N **Hey guys. I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who is reading this story. I have to say I'm just a little bit disappointed though. This story has had just shy of 300 hits. I had over 120 in the first day that chapter 2 was posted. People are adding it to their alerts like crazy, but I'm only getting a handful of reviews. Feedback helps me see if I'm doing any good, so feel free to hit that button at the bottom of the page and let me know how I'm doing. I know some people may think I'm being too slow and detailed, but as I said in chapter 1, I intend for this to be a long story so I'm setting the groundwork for it.

A huge thank you to my returning reviewers:

**Ffgirlmoonie**

**xo Usako ox**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**snoopykid**

And another big thank you to my new reviewers

**KageNoNeko**

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

So everyone, here's chapter 3. I hope you enjoy. And remember, no matter how much I wish, I still don't own Sailor Moon or the original characters. But, there may be a few characters that I will introduce that will be completely mine.

_**Enjoy!!!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 3

Big Brother is Watching

The late afternoon sunlight beat down on Serena's golden blonde hair as she walked down the street on her way to the arcade. She was feeling pretty proud of herself for getting as much work done today as she did, so she thought a trip to the Crown for a chocolate milkshake was a good way to reward herself.

As the sliding doors of the arcade opened to welcome her, Serena couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic as she took in the sight of the place that had been almost like a second home to her over the years.

In the back where the video games were, she could still see the Sailor V game that she had spent so much of her allowance on when she had been in middle school. Smiling to herself, she thought about how it had been a long time since she had sat down and played a good round of her old favorite. Hmm…maybe later she would treat herself to a game for old time sakes.

She headed for the long counter to the right where Andrew was working. He was busy at the moment helping another customer, but he gave her a glance that told her that he would be with her shortly. She took her favorite seat at the end of the bar. She always sat here whenever she could because this was _his_ seat. She always felt close to _him_ when she sat here.

Closing her eyes she could picture it in her head. Darien sitting in this exact spot, drinking his coffee and studying. She could see clearly the scene from back when they first met. She would come through the doors after school, excited that another day was done. She would wave and say hi to Andrew, and then she would see _him_. He would slowly turn around on his stool and pin her with those dark cobalt eyes of his. A small smirk would turn up those delicious lips, and then he would ruin the mood by saying something like, _'Hey Meatball Head, fail another test today?'_

Ohhh…he used to make her so mad back then. Of course, even then, she had thought he was gorgeous, but at the time, she thought he had a pretty sorry attitude. As time moved on and mysteries of the past and secrets were revealed, they couldn't deny their feelings for each other. Just as fate had linked them together a thousand years ago, they were powerless to resist the pull now.

"Hey Serena." Andrew said, coming up to her. "What brings you to grace my humble establishment today?"

Serena giggled. Opening her eyes she replied, "Hey yourself Drew. I thought I would treat myself to a…." Serena broke off suddenly as she got a good look at her friend. "Drew, what's wrong? You don't look so hot." she exclaimed suddenly.

It was true. He didn't look like his normal self at all. Serena had never seen him look anything other than perfectly groomed. Today however he didn't look anything like his usual happy self. His medium blonde hair was completely disheveled, hanging down into his clear hazel eyes. Those eyes had dark circles under them, giving the impression that he was seriously lacking proper sleep. His clothes were rumpled to the point that they seemed to have been thrown on with little thought.

"Aww.. I'm okay." Andrew answered her with a tired grin. "I've just had a rough couple of nights. I haven't been sleeping too well and I guess it's catching up with me."

"If you're sure…" Serena said, not entirely convinced. She had a feeling that something was bothering her friend, but she wasn't going to pry.

"Yeah, yeah." Andrew waved her off. "I'm cool. So what can I get for you?"

"I guess a chocolate shake. I feel like celebrating today." Serena said, trying to lighten the mood.

Andrew smiled at her, seeming more like himself. "I guess that means you got all of your homework done huh?"

Serena returned the smile saying, "Yes I did. So now I'm treating myself before I go home and put in a movie and curl up for the rest of the night." At least that was what she was hoping for, but the last two nights made her wonder if that would happen.

"Have you heard from Darien lately?" Andrew asked as he began scooping ice cream into a glass.

Serena hesitated for a moment as she remembered the conversation she had with her boyfriend earlier that morning. "Uh yeah," she said, "I talked to him for a few minutes this morning."

Andrew frowned a little when he heard the underlying tension in her voice. "Uh oh, what happened? I would think that you would be getting excited since he'll be home for good in one more week. He's not delaying coming back is he?"

"No quite the opposite actually." Serena replied in an exasperated tone. She thought for a minute before deciding to tell Andrew everything. After all, he had been a confidant to the secrets of the sailor scouts and Tuxedo Mask since practically the beginning. "He heard about the recent attacks and was ready to hop the first plane home. I finally convinced him to stay and finish his finals. If anything else happens, I'm sure we can handle it. I am not about to have him screw up his grades right here at the end just because he feels like he needs to come back to hold my hand."

Andrew's eyes widened a little as he heard how harshly she said the last part of this. "I'm sure he didn't mean it that way." he consoled. "I'm sure it was just a shock when you told him about the attacks and he's just worried about you."

Serena looked down at the counter and mumbled, "I didn't tell him."

Andrew looked baffled. "What do you mean you didn't tell him? You said he knew."

Serena started looking angry. "He already knew before I talked to him. I really shouldn't be surprised. After all, he's got his watchdogs looking over me all the time." The venom in her voice this time was unmistakable.

Andrew gave a small smile of understanding. "I guess it does seem to you like an invasion of privacy, but you've always said that you have the best friends in the world. I mean considering your far past and what you know of your future, I can see where they would be a little overprotective. Not that they see it as a duty, but as your friends, they love you and want to look out for you."

Serena smiled, "I knew coming here was a good idea. You always know how to put things in perspective for me."

Andrew smiled back. "Glad I could help." He sat a large chocolate milkshake in front of her.

"So now are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Serena asked. Now that she was feeling better, she was back to being concerned about her friend's appearance.

"Wh..what?" Andrew stammered, looking up from where he had been wiping the counter. "Nothing's bothering me. I just had a hard time sleeping the last couple of nights, that's all."

Serena looked up and saw Mina and Lita walking in. They waved at her and motioned for her to join them at their regular booth. She waved and gave them a sign that she would be there in a minute and turned back to Andrew. "Are you sure, Drew? I mean, if you need to talk about something…"

Andrew waved her off. "Nah, I'm fine. Go have your girl chat. I'll see you later." He turned to help another customer that had walked up to the counter.

Serena sighed and picked up her shake before heading over to the booth where her two friends were waiting for her.

She slid in next to Mina, who looked up at her and grinned before saying, "I thought I might find you here. I couldn't believe it when I called your house and your mom said you were actually gone instead of being cooped up in your room."

"I was studying, Mina. You know, you might try it yourself considering how much homework we have due." Serena said this knowing it wouldn't have any effect on her blonde friend.

Across the table Lita chuckled. "Honestly Serena, I never thought you would end up sounding like Amy, but that sounded just like her."

Serena shook her head. "I just figured a future queen needed some education. I don't figure I can rule the planet someday with just my knowledge of the latest fashion trends and current manga now can I?"

"And not having the distraction of Darien being around everyday has nothing to do with your new study habits I suppose." Mina said slyly.

Serena took a sip of her shake before replying, "Speaking of Darien, inform your precious Kunzite that he is officially on my shit list now. I can't believe he went and told Darien about the attacks. He even made it sound like I'm running around with an insane death wish or something."

"Hey I can't control what Kunzite tells him." Mina retorted hotly. "After all, he is Darien's head general. How would you feel if I, being the leader of the scouts, kept the news of enemy attacks from you?"

Serena stayed quiet for a moment and then let out a sigh. "You're right. Mina. I would be pissed if you kept something like that from me." She could see it from that point of view. If she were in Darien's place, she would want to be informed. Now she could see why he had been so upset this morning.

**_Flashback-This Morning_**

"So when were you going to tell me that you have spent the last two nights throwing yourself in front of youma attacks?" Darien asked.

'_Oh crap, busted.'_ Serena panicked, completely at a loss for words.

"Well?" Darien asked in an aggravating tone that she hadn't heard from him in a long time.

Serena stayed quiet for a moment. "It's not what you think. I just didn't want you to worry. You've got so much going on with finals and all that I just didn't think you needed this on top of it. How did you find out anyway?"

Darien smirked. "I have other people I talk to back home. Let's just say that Kunzite thought I should be informed that we might have a new enemy."

'_Kunzite, I should have known.'_ Serena thought to herself. "Well, I guess I'm not surprised. After all, I'm sure he has been reporting my every move to you for the last two years. I don't need a keeper Darien." Serena said angrily.

Darien's eyes narrowed. "Well sometimes I wonder about that. Forgive me for being a little put out that I had to find out from Kunzite when you could have told me about this yesterday when we talked."

Serena started to feel guilty for keeping the youma attacks from him, but couldn't he see that she was doing this for his own good. "Dare I…"

"No Serena. No excuses. If something's going on I need to be there to help you. I'm going to catch the first flight I can. Hopefully I can get home before anything else happens."

Serena's head spun for a second. This was exactly why she didn't tell him in the first place. He was accomplishing one of his dreams. He was studying to be a doctor, and attending college in America was a wonderful opportunity for him. His final grades that he was working for right now were important. He couldn't just give that up.

"No Darien. You're going to stay there and finish up what you need to do. You'll be home in a week. These youma have been no tougher than anything else we've had to face. If anything else happens, I'm sure we can handle it. I'm not going to let you screw up your education for this." Serena stated adamantly.

Darien shook his head. "But Kunzite said you were almost hit last night. He said you came running into the middle of the battle and went recklessly tearing into that youma. You have to be more careful than that. I just feel that I need to be there."

"I was pissed at being pulled out of bed in the middle of the night. I might have been a little careless, but I just wanted to get the job done and go back to sleep. I was tired. I had a long day and I guess I just took my frustrations out on the youma."

"But…" Darien began.

"No buts. I'm fine. Everyone else is fine. We've got everything under control. We can survive without you for another week. So you just take care of business, and I'll see you soon." Serena said with a note of finality in her voice.

Darien sighed. "Fine, but if anything happens to you…"

"Nothing is going to happen. After some of the things we have faced in the past, this is a cakewalk." Serena assured him.

"Okay. I guess I better get some sleep." Darien said. "Just be careful and remember, I love you Serena."

Serena smiled at him. She could feel tears threatening to fill her eyes at the deep emotion she heard in his voice. "I love you too."

**_End Flashback_**

Serena heard her two friends chatting away as she came back to the present. Mina and Lita were discussing a shopping trip that they had planned for the next day. Suddenly Lita looked up and said, "Well look at what the cat's dragging in now."

Serena and Mina turned to see Raye and Amy coming through the doors of the arcade. It was kind of a shock. When they were younger, they all seemed to gravitate to the Crown. It wasn't unusual for all of them to meet up there by accident. But nowadays, between school and boyfriends, it rarely happened.

Raye and Amy looked pleasantly surprised to see the rest of them at their regular booth and they hurried over to join them.

"Hey guys." Amy said, sliding in next to Lita. "I guess we all had the same idea today."

"Yeah, it's unusual for all of to meet up like this. Serena move your big butt over." Raye grouched as she slid in next to Serena. "I knew all of those milkshakes were going to catch up to you someday."

Serena stuck her tongue out at Raye. She knew that it was childish, but it was part of her and Raye's usual routine. At first glance, most people would think that they hated each other. In reality they were as close as sisters.

Andrew walked up to the table to see if they wanted anything. After a minute of chatting he left to get their orders.

They were all silent for a moment and then Lita said, "Wow. What's up with Andrew? He looked half dead."

"Yeah, for sure." said Raye. "He definitely looked rough."

"I don't know guys, but it's got me worried. I asked him if everything was okay. He just said he's had a hard time sleeping." Serena said.

Amy looked thoughtful. "He may be coming down with a cold. There is a pretty bad virus going around right now."

Since the rest of them had voiced their opinions, they all turned to Mina to see if she had anything to add. She just sat there quietly with a small smile on her face.

"What are you grinning about?" Raye demanded.

Mina blew out a breath and said, "Oh come on. It's obvious what's wrong with him. Can't you read the signs?"

They all looked puzzled. "What do you mean? What's wrong with him?" Serena and Lita asked at the same time.

Mina gave a superior look. "Our Andrew has fallen in love."

"WHAT!" the others exclaimed.

"Yes you heard me right." Mina said smugly. "Being the goddess of love has a few advantages. Trust me, the emotions rolling off that boy right now are hard to miss."

They were all silent for a moment, and then they all started buzzing excitedly.

"I wonder who it is." Raye said.

"Yeah me too." Lita replied.

"I'm glad, he deserves it.," said Amy softly.

"Definitely." Serena responded. "He was so broken up after the whole Rita fiasco. I was starting to worry that he would never move on."

Lita shook her head. "Poor thing doesn't seem to be handling it well."

"Oh he'll get over it. He's still in the early stages. Right now he's just confused. Once he realizes what he's feeling, he'll be fine." Mina giggled as she said this.

"Anyway, back to the reason why I was glad to see everyone together." Raye said, changing the subject. "I was wondering who was up for pizza and a movie at my place. I swear I can't look at another book tonight."

"I'm in." cried Mina enthusiastically.

"Sure." Lita replied.

"I'm all caught up, so I believe I deserve to take a night off too." Amy answered.

All eyes turned to Serena. Part of her just wanted to go home and curl up, but then again, times like this were getting few and far between. They were likely to get even scarcer as time went on. As she looked around at the girls who were practically her sisters, she knew that she needed to treasure these moments while she could. She smiled at them all. "Count me in too."

"Alright, so we all agree to meet at the temple in two hours." Raye said.

"Agreed." they all chimed.

"By the way Mina." Serena said turning to her friend. "Has Luna been at your place today? She left earlier and said that she would be with Artemis, but that was hours ago."

Mina nodded her head. "I think they may be here. Artemis said something earlier about meeting Luna here. He said that they were looking up something in the main computer, so I'm assuming that they are down in the control room."

"Oh okay. I think I'll just slide down there and let them know that we'll all be at the temple. That way they can join us." With that Serena nudged Raye in the ribs so she could slide out of the booth before heading for the backroom of the arcade where there was a secret entrance to the scout's control room.

* * *

An hour after Serena had come to tell them that they were going to Raye's for the night, Luna and Artemis were still in the control room working. Artemis was running all the data they had on the recent youma attacks trying to figure out who they were and where they came from without any luck.

Luna on the other hand was busy going through the personal files from the moon's main computer. These files held information on everyone who had lived on the Moon, and also files on several people who didn't live there, but were close to the moon. Among the residents of the moon, including the princess and the scouts, there were also files on Prince Endymion and his generals.

Artemis turned off the computer he was working at. He stretched and gave a small moan as he tried to relieve the tension from his muscles. "Come on, Luna. Let's call it a night. Serena said that they would order an anchovy pizza just for us. We've been staring at these screens for hours. Let's give it a rest."

Luna shook her head. "Just a minute, Artemis. I'm waiting for one last search."

"Any luck yet?" Artemis asked, not really understanding what Luna was looking for.

Luna shook her head, "No not yet. I've been through all the nobles, the servants, and the ladies in waiting and still nothing. So I decided to run the name Melody through all the data bases and see if I get any hits."

"Well, if there is anything to be found, that would do it. Melody is a fairly common name though, and I'm sure it was in the Silver Millennium too." Artemis said.

"Well I guess we're fixing to find out." Luna replied as the computer beeped to signal that it was done searching. She gave the keyboard a few taps and was surprised to see that her search had only supplied one result.

The one file that was returned said Melody Rose. Luna clicked on it to get more information, but the file was heavily encrypted. The only thing that she was able to make out was a birth date.

"Is that who you have been looking for?" Artemis asked, trying to sound supportive even though he was about dead on his feet.

"I'm not sure, but I can't really believe that it is. According to her date of birth, she would have only been about five years old when the Moon Kingdom was destroyed." Luna shook her head, she really had thought that she could find out the mystery about the name that Serena had called out in her nightmare the night before. Just to be safe, she made a copy of the file to take to Amy. Maybe she could figure out the encryption and then maybe she could find some answers.

"Well let's go Artemis. I know that we are both tired and hungry." Luna powered down her computer and began to walk toward the door.

Artemis followed after her, but neither one of them could shake the feeling that cracking the code and finding out what was in the Melody Rose file just might change them all forever.

**TBC** Okay everyone .Chapter 4 coming soon. So coming up: Darien comes home. Who is Andrew crushing on? Is the mysterious Melody Rose the Melody from Serena's nightmare. Stay tuned and find out. Thanks everyone. Remember REVIEW.

Love You Guys,

Sere-chan


	4. Love's Sweet Homecoming

**A/N** Hey guys, I just want to thank everyone who is still reading this story. My inbox has been overloaded with messages where people have been putting my story on their alerts, so I'm assuming that this story is going over pretty well. I want to give special thanks to my faithful reviewers out there who have been supporting me through this.

**Silvermoonlight9**

**xo Usako ox**

**snoopykid**

**KageNoNeko**

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

**{BIG HUGS} **to all of you guys. You inspire me so much. This story is my baby right now, and I feel privileged to share it with all of you. And to a couple of my reviewers that I didn't hear from on the last chapter, I hope you're still out there and haven't given up on me. Anyway, here is Chapter 4.

_**ENJOY!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 4

Love's Sweet Homecoming

The bright Saturday morning sunlight flooded through the bedroom window of the modest two-story house. As a shaft of golden light fell across the face of the occupant of the bed, she gave a small groan and rolled to her side to avoid the light that was interfering with her sleep. Losing the battle, wide, sky blue eyes opened to greet the day.

Serena yawned and stretched, not quite ready to wake up yet. She glanced at her clock to see what time it was. _"Eight o'clock. How can I be awake this early? I was up until two a.m. getting all my homework done." _Serena grumbled to herself. She had even passed on having dinner with the other girls the night before to finish up her last assignments that her teachers had given out for the last week of school.

'_I must really be losing it.'_ she thought to herself as she squirmed around to find a more comfortable position, thinking that she might be able to catch a few more hours of sleep before actually getting up.

As she was snuggling into her pillow, her eyes landed on the picture that was on her nightstand. She looked at the picture of her and Darien that Mina had snapped of the two of them while at an amusement park about three years before. Darien was behind her with his arms wrapped around her. Both of them flushed and laughing, having just got off a roller coaster. As she looked at his smiling face and bright, sapphire eyes, she thought about how much she had missed him over the last two years. He had been home once for a week during the Christmas holidays during the first year he was gone, but had been too busy since. That was a year and a half ago.

Serena smiled to herself, thinking that soon he would be home for good. Home where he belonged, where she could see him everyday. Oh she couldn't wait. She snuggled into her covers, waiting to drift back off again, when a sudden thought hit her.

'_Holy crap! It's Saturday. Darien's coming home today.'_ With that thought, she threw back her covers and launched herself from her bed. She flew to her closet. If she was going to be greeting her love after such a long absence, she would need to look her best.

She tore through outfit after outfit, but nothing seemed right. She wanted to look perfect when he stepped off the plane. After all, the last time he saw her in person she had been a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl. Now she was an eighteen-year-old woman. He was now twenty-one. She didn't want to appear immature and childish.

"Serena, what on earth are you doing?" Luna's muffled voice came from the direction of the bed. Her head appeared out from under the covers that had been unceremoniously thrown on top of during Serena's mad dash from the bed.

Serena twirled and gave a wide-eyed, panicked stare at her guardian. "Omigosh… Luna…Darien…coming home…nothing to wear…I…I…" With that she crumpled in a heap on the floor.

Luna leaped from the bed and walked over to her distraught princess, internally shaking her head. When Serena was younger, these meltdowns were almost an everyday occurrence, but in the last couple of years, they had become almost obsolete. She knew that if she didn't talk some sense into the hysterical girl, she would never get her up off the floor, much less to the airport to greet her returning prince.

"Now Serena," she began gently, "you have a whole closet full of wonderful clothes to choose from. Heaven knows that after all of your weekend shopping trips with the other girls, you could clothe a small country with just the contents of your closet."

Tears started welling up in those big, blue eyes. "But Luna, what if he thinks I look childish, or immature. He's been surrounded by older, sophisticated women for two years now. I don't want to look like a little girl playing dress up." The last part was beginning to turn into a wail.

Luna knew she had to act quickly. She jumped right into her mistress's lap and reared up so that she at eye level with her. "Get a hold of yourself. You don't want your prince coming home to an emotional wreck do you? Now take a deep breath. This is not a fancy formal date. You are going to the airport. Something casual will be fine. You can do this. Now get up and try again."

Serena closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, held it a moment, then exhaled slowly. Opening her eyes she looked at the black feline in front of her. "Thanks, Luna. I needed that." She got back to her feet and went back to her closet. After a few more minutes of grumbling, she emerged with an armful of clothing and walked toward the bathroom.

'_Thank goodness, crisis adverted.' _Luna thought to herself as she heard the shower turn on. She turned back to the bed, hopping up on it thinking that she might catch a few more minutes of sleep. Not that she was really tired. The past week had been blissfully uneventful. No youma attacks, nothing strange at all. It seemed like whoever was behind the recent attacks had just stopped. Not that any of them believed that it was over, but it was a nice break. Serena had even been sleeping better, no more nightmares haunting her dreams.

'_The calm before the storm.'_ Luna thought, closing her eyes. She knew that they all felt it. Something was coming, something big. They were going in blind though because there was no clue as to who was behind this or what they were after. It was very unsettling.

She heard the bathroom door open and opened her eyes to see Serena walk back into the room with a towel wrapped around her head.

"Well Luna, what do you think?" she twirled around gracefully to show the outfit she was wearing.

Luna looked her over. She had on slim fitting, artfully faded hip hugger jeans that flared out slightly at the bottom. She wore a pale pink camisole top that clung to her body like a second skin. Over this she had a gauzy, see through, pearl colored button down shirt that she had left open. A belt of silver hoops draped around her waist matching the silver hoop earrings that she was wearing. Simple brown ankle boots completed the ensemble. The look was casual, yet elegant on the moon princess.

Luna cleared her throat. "Very nice Serena. Now see, there wasn't anything to get upset over earlier."

Serena sat down in front of her mirror and pulled the towel off of her head and began brushing out the long golden mane. She had actually cut some her hair off about a month ago. Her hair used to reach her knees, but she had donated about two feet of her hair to a charity that makes wigs for cancer patients. She figured she had more than enough hair to spare. Even after having it cut, her hair still hung to her hips. She had even begun wearing her hair in different styles. Not that she had abandoned her odango style, after all, it was her trademark, but she didn't wear it everyday like she used to.

Looking into the mirror she thought about putting her hair into the odangoes, but decided that that didn't go with the look she was going for. Instead she pulled all the hair back into a single ponytail on the back of her head and tied a silver ribbon around it. Her bangs feathered on her forehead and a few small pieces of hair curled around her ears. She applied a little make up, just some mascara and lip-gloss and she was ready.

She made her way downstairs where she could smell delicious scents coming from the kitchen. As she walked in she saw her parents sitting at the table enjoying a quiet Saturday morning breakfast.

"Morning Mom. Morning Dad." she practically sang as she crossed the room to the stove where food was still being kept warm.

"Good morning, pumpkin." Ken Tsukino said, looking up from his newspaper and smiling at his daughter. "Don't you look nice. What 's the occasion?"

Ilene swatted her husband on the arm. "Be nice. Our girl is all grown up, she doesn't need for you to go all protective on her anymore."

"Right." Ken grumbled to himself. He alone had been pleased that Darien had gone away to school. He had thought that they were getting way too serious in their relationship. He had just about had a stroke when he saw the pink, heart shaped promise ring on his daughter's finger. He had thought that the long separation would have cooled things between the two of them, but it hadn't. He sighed to himself, his wife was right, their little girl was now a woman. But it was still hard to let go.

As Serena sat down at the table with her parents, her mother asked, "So Serena, what time does his flight land?"

Serena swallowed her bite of toast before answering, "2:30, but I'm going to go to his apartment and make sure it's aired out and freshened up for him. I'm sure he'll be tired after the long flight. I may even go to the grocery store and pick up a few things for him so he'll at least have some food in the place."

Tears filled Ilene's eyes. "Oh my little baby, taking such good care of her man. You'll make him a wonderful wife." she gushed enthusiastically.

Ken sputtered and choked on his coffee. "Wi…Wife!" he wheezed.

Serena thought that this might be a good time to make her exit. She took her plate to the sink and made her way out of the kitchen. Behind her she could still hear her parent's bickering as she grabbed her purse and keys and made her way outside.

She walked over to the red sports car parked in her driveway and slid into the driver's seat. Amara had finally taken pity on her after her father had refused to teach her to drive and had given her lessons. After she had gotten her license, Darien had graciously let her use his car while he was gone. After all, it was just sitting up in the garage at his apartment complex and it needed to be used.

She started the car and headed toward the Crown. The late night had left her a little groggy, so she thought a shot of caffeine was in order.

A few minutes later she pulled up to the arcade and went inside. Since it was early, the place was fairly empty. She went up to the counter and a new waitress that she didn't know came up to take her order.

"Hi. What can I get for you?" the girl asked with a smile. She looked to be about Serena's age with long, caramel colored hair pulled back into a braid and deep ocean blue eyes that shown with a friendly brightness.

"I'll have a mocha latte, double the mocha, four espresso shots, extra whipped cream, with chocolate sprinkles." Serena ordered.

The girl laughed as she turned to make Serena's drink. "You must be Serena. Liz and Drew told me that I would be able to pick you out, and they were right. I didn't think that there was anyone but me that could handle that much caffeine and sugar in one sitting. But they assured me that you would give me a run for my money."

Serena laughed, taking an instant liking to this girl. "Serena Tsukino, chocoholic and caffeine junkie extraordinaire, nice to meet you."

The girl sat the coffee on the counter in front of Serena. "Jessica Alexander, but most people just call me Jess. I'm always glad to meet a fellow addict."

"So how long have you been working here?" Serena asked.

"About a week." Jess said. "I'm fairly new to town. I'm studying visual arts at the university. This job has been heaven sent. Andrew has been really great about working around my schedule. My school is paid for and I have some money coming in from a trust fund left to me, but a girl has to have extra shopping money you know."

Serena smiled in understanding. "Yeah the malls would go bankrupt without us." she laughed.

Andrew came out of the backroom to find the two girls laughing and chatting like old friends. "Hey Sere. I thought I heard you out here."

"Hi Drew. I just came in for my boost." Serena grinned at her friend. "I had a late night and I have a lot of stuff to do today."

The doors to the arcade opened and a large group of people walked in. Four girls and four guys to be exact. They all saw Serena at the counter and headed her way. The blonde girl at the front of the group squealed and let go of the arm of the silver haired man beside her to run across the room and throw her arms around Serena.

Serena struggled to breathe as Mina was trying to hug her and jump up and down at the same time. Just as she thought all of her oxygen was going to be cut off completely, the rest of the group reached her and Kunzite put a hand on Mina's shoulder and said, "For crying out loud sweetheart, let the poor girl breathe. I sure don't want to be the one to tell Darien that his girlfriend's dead because you accidentally strangled her."

"Oops." Mina squeaked, letting go of Serena and stepping back slightly. "But aren't you just so excited though?" she gushed quickly.

"Yes I am, but can you turn down the theatrics a bit Mina? I haven't had my fix yet." She picked up her cup and took a sip as she shared a conspiratorial smile with Jess. "How did you know I was here anyway?"

Raye stepped forward. "Well we were on our way to your house to see if you needed any help getting ready when we saw Darien's car outside, so we knew you had to be in here."

"Anyway, what do you have planned today?" Lita asked jumping into the conversation.

"Not a whole lot. I'm going to the grocery store to get some things to stock up Darien's fridge and pantry, and then just tidy up the apartment and make sure that it is ready for him." Serena said.

"Okay, time to split up the chores." Mina said, assuming her leadership role. "Lita and I will handle the shopping while the rest of you go tackle the apartment. By the time that's all done it will be almost time for us to head to the airport and…"

"Wait!" Serena exclaimed. "I thought I already said that I wanted to go and meet him by myself."

Amy spoke up in her soft voice, "She's right guys, she did say that."

Loud groans came from the others, knowing that they were not going to be able to get away with this.

"I mean it's not like you're not going to see him today. I just want a few minutes alone to welcome him home. Just us. I'm sorry if that sounds selfish, but it's the way I want it." Serena's voice dropped to a whisper, "The way I have dreamed it."

Raye put her arm around her friend and gave a gentle squeeze. "We understand. We'll help you get everything ready and then send you off to bring him home. But we will be waiting at that apartment to ambush you guys when you get back, deal."

Serena smiled at her friend, "Deal."

Lita grinned at all of her friends before saying, "Well let's get this show on the road. Mina, you're with me. We'll meet the rest of you at Darien's. I guess you guys can go find something to keep you entertained, unless you want to help clean."

Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite all began backing toward the door. They had all stayed quiet during the girls' discussion, but now that the attention was on them, they knew that they needed to retreat, and fast.

"Uh, no…" Kunzite began.

"That's right we gotta…" Nephrite started to say.

"Yeah we had plans." Jadeite stated.

"Maybe another time." Zoicite spoke softly.

And with that, the generals turned and practically ran from the arcade, leaving all the girls laughing behind them.

The laughter continued for a few minutes and then started to die down. Serena turned back to her coffee and saw Jess wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Oh that was priceless." Jess said. "Show a man a mop and watch them run."

"Hey!" Andrew spoke up in his own defense. "I use a mop daily around here you know."

Jess ruffled Andrew's hair fondly. "But you're special sweetie, an exception to the rule that all men should strive to become."

Andrew blushed dark red and stammered, "Th…Thanks, I think." Then he turned and went into the backroom.

Serena turned to her friends. "Everyone, I want you to meet Jess. She just started working here about a week ago. Jess this is Raye, Mina, Lita and Amy."

"Nice to meet all of you." Jess said with a wide friendly smile.

The others responded in kind and they all talked for a few minutes until a customer came in and sat at a table. Jess went to wait on them while the others got ready to leave.

Andrew came out from the back again. He looked around for a moment. Seeing the girls getting ready to leave he said, "Don't go hogging my best friend all to yourself Serena. You tell Darien that he better come by here or I'll be over there pounding on his door, and it won't be pretty."

Serena smiled at him. "I'll be sure to tell him, but if I know Darien, he'll be here before he has even had a chance to put his suitcase down good."

Everyone said their goodbyes and then made their way outside. They were all standing by the car when Mina said, "So she's the one."

The rest of them looked around confused. "Who's the one?" Serena asked, having no idea what her friend was talking about.

Mina shook her head. "Jess. She's the one that Andrew has fallen in love with. And what's more is she's in love with him too."

"Really! That's great!" Serena exclaimed happily. "She seems like a really nice girl."

Now that her own true love was coming back to her, Serena wanted all of her friends to be happy. Andrew always put on a cheerful smile for everyone, but Serena knew that he had been terribly hurt when he and Rita broke up. Maybe Jess would be the one that could heal him and bring him back to being his usual happy go lucky self again.

"Okay scouts." Serena said, adopting her Sailor Moon tone. "We have our assignments. Let's get to work."

Laughing, they all split to get things ready for their prince's long awaited homecoming.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be landing in Tokyo very shortly. Please make sure that all seats are in their upright position and that your seatbelts are securely fastened." the flight attendant said over the intercom.

"_Finally'_ Darien thought to himself. It had been a long flight. He had tried to make it pass quickly by trying to sleep as much as he could, but the excitement of going home and being able to see Serena again had him too wired to do much more than nap.

The past hour had made him really jittery. As the plane had gotten closer to their destination, Darien could feel his internal bond with Serena strengthening. When they were closer together they could feel each other's moods and emotions. They had even progressed to the point where they could speak telepathically to each other. That had come in handy in few battles when they didn't want the enemy to know their next move. Chuckling to himself, he thought about how convenient that particular ability had been when they wanted to talk late at night, but Serena couldn't use the phone without her father finding out and practically going into convulsions.

Of course, being Tuxedo Mask had its advantages. If Ken Tsukino knew how many nights he had leapt through his daughter's bedroom window, he would probably be dead right now. But since he had been so far away the last two years, all he could get through their bond was brief glimpses of Serena's moods, and then only if she was feeling a really strong emotion.

But now she was close. He could feel her through their bond. Her nervousness and her excitement flowed through him, making his already heightened emotions even more so. He however was keeping himself shielded from her. He was hoping to have a moment just to gaze upon her without her realizing he was there.

He felt the plane drop and realized that they were coming in for their landing. A few minutes later the plane touched down and began to make its way toward the airport terminal. As the plane came to complete stop, passengers began grabbing their belongings and making their way toward the exit. Darien grabbed his carry on bag, and followed the rest of the people off the plane.

As he approached the gate, he began scanning the crowd for her. It was so crowded that it could be hard to find anyone in here. Focusing on Serena's energy, he could feel her off to his right, so he went left and circled around so that he could come up behind her. Following that internal pull, he knew he was getting close. Suddenly there was a break in the people, and he could see her.

Darien had always been good at keeping his emotions in check, but when he saw his princess, his knees almost buckled and he even felt the sting of tears in his eyes.

"_She's even more beautiful than I remember.'_ Darien thought. The Serena he remembered was a sixteen-year-old girl in a high school uniform. The woman standing in front of him now was a goddess. She had matured and grown while he was gone, and he took in the differences.

Well she definitely had a few more curves now that hadn't been there before. Of course he had always thought she was perfection wrapped up in that petite body. But now as he looked he realized that she wasn't as petite as she had been. Where the top of her head used to barely reach the middle of his chest, he could easily see that now she would be able to tuck herself right under his chin.

She still had her back turned toward him, searching the gate where a few passengers were still making their way off the plane. He was starting to feel panic coming from her, so he decided that it was time to let her off the hook. He opened his end of the link so she would be able to sense him.

* * *

Serena was starting to panic. A lot of people had already gotten off the plane, but there was no sign of Darien. Of course there was such a crowd it was almost like trying to find a needle in a haystack. She had tried feeling him through their bond, but had felt nothing. That wasn't right, she should be able to feel him if he was near.

'_Oh no! Did something happen to him?'_ Serena's chest started tightening and her breathing became erratic as she remembered how Darien had been stolen off a plane when Galaxia had taken him. _'Please no, not again.'_

Suddenly she felt a warm rush of energy fill her. It was a comforting feeling that she knew well. She started to look around, desperately searching for the source. As she turned to look behind her, she froze.

There he was. Her prince. Her protector. Her love. He looked exactly as she remembered. Maybe a little broader through the chest and shoulders, but other than that he was still the same. She gazed into his midnight blue eyes as she felt tears well up in her own eyes.

'_My princess'_ she could hear his voice in her head.

'_My prince'_ he heard her answer in return.

Her tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks as she began running to him. He dropped his bag and opened his arms as she launched herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly as she let out a sob against his shoulder. Both of them could feel the souls of their past selves celebrating along with them at this long awaited reunion.

Serena raised her teary eyes to look into the eyes of her beloved. She cupped his face in her hands and whispered, "Endymion"

Darien reached up to brush the tears from her cheeks as he breathed out on a sigh, "Serenity"

He pulled her closer to him as she went up on her tiptoes to meet him halfway. Their lips met in a sweet, lingering kiss, both of them hesitating just a little in case they woke up just to find out that this was a dream. But the kiss deepened as they both realized that this was real. They were really together again. No more separation.

Oblivious to the crowded airport, they reveled in being in each other's arms, only drawing apart when the lack of oxygen started getting to them.

Looking down into her beautiful eyes, Darien said, "Wow, talk about a homecoming."

Serena threw back her head and laughed. "You better believe it, buster. We've been apart way too long, and I plan on making up for lost time."

"What did you have in mind?" Darien asked, nuzzling the soft hair at her temple and breathing in her citrus scent.

"Well I guess you're just going to have to follow me and find out." with that she turned and grabbed his hand began leading him away.

Darien barely had time to grab his bag. "Lead on, my lady."

**A/N **Okay there's chapter 4. Darien's home and we've found out who Andrew's crush is, but don't think that I have forgotten about Melody. More info on her is coming up. These chapters have just been laying the groundwork, but soon we are going to be getting into some action. Our heroes are close to finding out who the enemy is and what they are after. I've had several PM's and emails making guesses as to who the enemy and Melody are. **_(Evil Laugh)_** You'll just have to wait and see. My review count is still lower than I would like, so hit that button and tell me how I am doing. Until next time!

Sere-chan


	5. Welcome to My Nightmare

**A/N** OMG! I think chapter 4 was the most popular yet. I think the response was positive overall. I had a few people who thought it was mean for Darien to trick Serena, but what would their relationship be like if Darien didn't pick on his 'meatball head'?

Anyway, time to give out hugs to my reviewers. To my ones that have been with me from the beginning:

**xo Usako ox**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**KageNoNeko**

**snoopykid**

**Jmackarla**

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

Thank you so very much you guys. {Wipes tears from eyes} I also want to give thank you's to my new reviewers

**SailorPrincess1237**

**storycrazy22**

Big hugs to you as well. Well here's Chapter 5. Oh yeah, by the way, I still don't own Sailor Moon. Melody and Jess are mine though, along with some other characters coming up in future chapters.

**ENJOY!!!**

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 5

Welcome to My Nightmare

Darien turned off the television where he had been watching the late night news. He looked around the room thinking about how wonderful it was to be home again. Attending college in America had been a wonderful opportunity, but deep down, he had missed his home and all of his friends and loved ones.

After Serena had picked him up from the airport on Saturday, they had gone to his apartment where his generals and all of the sailor scouts had been waiting for him. Even the Outer Scouts, Amara, Michelle, Trista, and Hotaru had been there. After a warm round of greetings, Trista had handed Darien a letter that she had brought from the future. It read:

_Dear Papa Darien,_

_Puu came and told me that you were coming home after being away at college for two years. I wanted to be there to welcome you back too, but Mercury and Zoicite have me loaded down with work. I have my final exams coming up, so it's hard for me to get away at the moment. I just wanted to let you know that you are in my thoughts, and I hope to visit all of you soon. Give Mama Serena a hug from me, and I love you both._

_Princess Small Lady Serenity_

_(Rini)_

Darien smiled as he thought about that letter from his future daughter. She seemed to be an exact duplicate of her mother. Loyal and faithful almost to a fault, they both tried to see the good in people, no matter how twisted they might be.

He looked at the clock and saw that it was 12:30, he had tried to contact Serena telepathically a few hours ago, but he could tell that she was busy with homework, so he let her be. Now her end of the link was relaxed, as if she had fallen asleep. Unable to stop his impulse, he stepped onto his balcony and transformed into Tuxedo Mask. He leapt to the roof of the next building and continued on to the house where his soul mate called to him.

He soon reached the house and leapt up to the second story window that was open. He slipped inside and paused as he saw the one he was looking for passed out on top of a mountain of papers and books on her desk. Her mouth was slightly open as she snored gently. The dark circles under her eyes gave away her fatigue.

Darien remembered his last week of high school, how the teachers kept them working up to the very last minute. Looked like nothing had changed. Well it would all be over soon. It was now very early on Thursday morning. Just two more days and his Serena would be walking across the stage to receive her diploma, a feat that he would have thought impossible given their first meeting.

**Flashback**

He had been standing in front of a jewelry store four years ago when a crumpled piece of paper had hit him in the head. Opening it, he had seen that it was a math test with a horrible grade of thirty percent on it. Looking around, he realized that it had come from a petite girl with the strangest hairdo. She looked like she had a couple of meatballs perched on top of her head.

Getting a closer look at her face, he couldn't deny that she was a looker. With that long, golden blonde hair and those wide, innocent, baby blue eyes, she was destined to break men's hearts.

Well Darien wasn't one to let his true feelings show, so he spouted out, "Hey Meatball Head, what do I look like a garbage can?" His breath caught in his throat as she turned to face him, her blue eyes turning icy with anger. He couldn't help himself. She looked so adorable when she was mad that he had to go on. "Are you lazy, or just plain stupid?"

He had stood his ground as she had stomped over to him and snatched the paper out of his hand.

"Shut up you jerk!" she had yelled before storming off. Little had either one of them known that it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

**End Flashback**

Darien shook his head as a hundred memories invaded his mind. He saw Sailor Moon on her knees as she held out their star locket to him, begging him to remember who he was while Queen Beryl laughed in the background.

Her throwing herself in front of Ann's attacks as she proclaimed her love for him.

He also saw her walking forward to face Wiseman, her Silver Crystal glowing as she prepared to battle him to save the earth.

Her falling lifeless into his arms after she used all the power of the Silver Crystal to stop the Kisemian Blossom's asteroid from slamming into the earth and destroying it.

How tired and drained she was as the scouts had carried her in after the fight with Pharaoh 90 and Mistress 9. She had been hardly able to stand, but had made her way over to Rini's bedside before collapsing beside it

When Rini was kidnapped by Queen Badianu and he had been hurt in an attack, she had lied to him and gone after their future daughter alone to save her

He saw her again when she was going to face the Dark Moon Circus. He was sick and weak, but she had kissed him and told him not to worry.

Then the Ice Queen who took the form of Princess Snow Kaguya had appeared and had almost encased the world in ice. Sailor Moon and the Silver Crystal had saved the day again.

Then the worst. His star seed had been stolen by Galaxia. He had never even told Serena this, but he had been able to see her. He had felt her pain when she thought that he had abandoned her. He knew that Seiya had fallen in love with his princess, and he had even gotten to the point that he hoped that she could love him in return and live a happy life like she deserved. But instead, his love had fought with everything she had. And when all was said and done, he found himself alive once more and in her arms.

He picked up his princess and she snuggled into his embrace. He had never felt more complete than he did at this moment. This woman had once been a girl, who at an impossible age had saved the world several times. He knew that as his past self, Endymion had been a brave and gallant warrior, he himself controlled the Golden Crystal, which rivaled the Silver Crystal in power, but he had not accomplished a fraction of what this one woman had.

The woman in his arms whimpered in her sleep. Suddenly her crescent moon mark flared to life on her forehead. Her pajamas changed into the dress of Princess Serenity as Darien felt himself change into Prince Endymion.

There was a great flash of light that caused Darien to close his eyes. When he opened them again, he was no longer standing in Serena's bedroom. She had disappeared from his arms also, so he looked around quickly trying to locate her.

He took in his surroundings. A distant memory made him realize that he was on the lawn behind the Moon Castle. Suddenly the ground shook under his feet as a large explosion was heard from the front of the castle. His breath caught as he realized what was happening.

Serena had told him about her nightmare coming back. He could tell that it had upset her greatly. She had also told him that something was different, but she couldn't remember what it was. Somehow through their soul link, he was seeing her dream. This was the day that the Silver Millennium had fallen.

He heard a sound behind him and turned to see Serenity throw open a door and rush out onto a balcony. She ran to the railing and looked around anxiously before spotting him.

"Endy. Oh thank the goddess I found you. I lost sight of you during the battle and was afraid that you had fallen." Serenity said.

Looking down at himself Darien realized that his armor was covered in dirt and dust. He was gripping a blood-covered sword in his right hand. It seemed that he was reliving these events right along with Serena. He wanted to run to her and hold her tight. He wanted to tell her that this was just a dream, but he could tell that this woman was Serenity, not Serena. She wouldn't understand that this wasn't really happening. Luckily he had enough of Endymion's memories to play his part.

"No my love, I am still standing." he replied to her. "I saw a group of Beryl's soldiers going around the side of the castle and wanted to make sure they couldn't make it inside."

Serenity smiled gently, "Oh I think that they would have a hard time getting inside. Mother and I have used the crystals to protect the castle. We have too many people taking refuge inside to take any chances."

Darien faltered for a moment. Crystals? Plural? But there was only one Imperium Silver Crystal. That was definitely different from what he remembered. Maybe he heard her wrong.

Suddenly another loud explosion was heard from the front of the castle. The entire building shuddered and Serenity grabbed hold of the balcony railing to steady herself. "I better go check in with mother. Please be careful my love."

Darien looked up at her to tell her the same when something struck him. The Serenity from his distant memories looked to be about sixteen years old. This Serenity looked older. Maybe since it was Serena who was having this dream, the Serenity in the dream took on her characteristics. But as Darien looked even closer, he realized that this woman looked to be in her early twenties.

'_Weird' _he thought. _'But this is a dream. So I guess it doesn't have to make sense.'_

He shook his head to clear it. "You be careful too love. I'm going to check on the progress. I'll see you soon."

Serenity went back inside as he made his way around toward the front of the castle. As he walked up close to the wall, he could feel the power emanating from it, definitely Silver Crystal power. Sailor Moon had used the crystal a few times to erect a shield around them in battle, but he had never felt anything like this. The strong energy signature he felt must belong to Queen Serenity. He had always known that she was powerful, but this was amazing.

He laid his hand on the wall and received a shock when he felt a second energy combined with the first. It was Serena's, or Serenity's, or whatever name you wanted to call her. He had felt it enough times when she had used the crystal to know that feeling anywhere.

This puzzled him even more. Serenity had never used the Silver Crystal. It wasn't until she was reborn as Serena that she had come into the power of the crystal. Maybe subconsciously Serena was influencing the events of this dream to try to change the outcome. If she was, then she would have her own Silver Crystal in addition to that of the Queen's.

Then the loudest explosion yet rocked the castle. Darien took off running along the side of the castle. When he rounded to the front, he saw a scene that up until now had only been in his hazy memories.

Bodies littered the blood soaked ground in front of the castle. He fought back the bile that was rising in his throat. Some of the bodies were mangled almost beyond recognition. He saw a few faces that seemed familiar. These faces belonged to people who were wearing the uniform of the Earth's royal army. Memories of his past life began becoming sharper and clearer in his mind. These were people that he had known. People that he had grown up with and fought along side with. He had considered many of them friends.

Then Beryl had come along and brainwashed them all into thinking that the Moon was the enemy. She took her lust for power and used it to convince the people of Earth to fight for her against the peace loving people of the Moon.

Darien paused as he caught sight of something blue. As he made his way over, he realized that it was Sailor Mercury. She lay lifelessly on the ground, a vicious stab wound to her stomach. Lying next to her was Zoicite, his own sword run through his heart.

Darien saw that a large hole had been blasted into the front of the castle. He began making his way toward it. His only thought of getting to Serenity. As he ran, he saw things that nightmares were made of.

A bloody Sailor Mars sprawled on the ground. Jadeite had her cradled in his dead arms. Sailor Jupiter was not far from there, her fuku stained red from the blood of her slit throat, Nephrite holding her hand in his as he gazed sightlessly at the sky.

As he reached the castle steps, he saw Sailor Venus face down on the staircase. Her back was bloody from a stab wound there. Kunzite was draped over her as if trying to protect her in death from what he had done to her in life.

Entering the castle, Darien was immediately on guard. Everything was still and quiet, too quiet. He began making his way down the halls, trying to sense any sign of life. As he came to the grand staircase, he suddenly felt a wave of fear and panic that wasn't his. It was Serenity reaching out to him through their bond. Locking onto that energy, he followed it up to the second floor.

He came to a door that he vaguely remembered as being the door to Serenity's bedchamber. He eased the door open and peered inside. He saw Queen Serenity, unconscious on the floor. He made his way over to her and reached down to feel for a pulse. Feeling the faint thump under his fingers, he was glad to find that she wasn't dead.

He looked around as he heard voices, and realized that the doors to the balcony were open. He moved quickly and quietly to doors and hid behind the curtains. He was able to see what was happening out there, and the sight that greeted him made his blood run cold.

Serenity was slumped up against the balcony railing. She looked disheveled and completely exhausted. Her breath was coming in short gasps, but she still had enough energy to glare defiantly at the person in front of her.

Beryl stood in front of her, sneering. "So little miss Moon Princess. Your defenses have fallen. You have no choice but to give in to me. Hand over the Silver Crystal and release your hold on Prince Endymion. If you play nicely, I may spare your life. You might make a good scullery maid in my palace."

Serenity's eyes blazed blue fire at the red headed witch. "Never! I will never give you the crystal. Endymion is free to make his own choices, but I seriously doubt that he would ever want to be with a twisted, evil woman like you."

Beryl's face contorted in anger. "You little bitch! How dare you!" She lunged at Serenity, her long fingers snapping with currents of black energy.

A silver glow came from Serenity's left hand. Darien saw that she had the Silver Crystal clutched tightly in her hand, but the light was faint. She was too drained to use its power. He knew he had to act quickly.

He threw himself around the open door and manifested a rose. He threw it with all he had at the witch. It came between the two women and stopped the attack.

Beryl spun around in a rage to see who had come between her and the moon princess. "Ah, Prince Endymion. So nice of you to join us. I was just having the most intriguing conversation with the princess here. I think you might be interested in joining in."

Darien walked over to Serenity and pulled her tightly against him. Once again he wondered briefly about this older, mature version of the princess. She was tall enough to lay her head on his shoulder as she gasped for breath. He quickly put it out of his head as he turned to face Beryl. "We have nothing to say to you. You have destroyed two planets and killed thousands of people in a war that never should have happened. And for what? Nothing but your selfish greed for power. I will never join you."

Beryl cocked her head to the side as she smiled seductively at Darien. "Oh come now Endymion, I know you lust for women with power. That's why you have held on to that little tramp as long as you have. She may be powerful, but once I have that crystal and with the power of Queen Metallia behind me, I will be unstoppable. If we join forces and combine the power of your Golden Crystal with mine, we can rule the universe together."

Darien was now seriously confused. He hadn't had the Golden Crystal in the Silver Millennium. It had belonged to his father and then had been taken to Elysian by Helios when the Earth Kingdom had fallen. This dream was getting stranger by the second.

Suddenly a shadowy figure draped in a long, black cloak appeared floating in mid air beside the balcony. The hood of the cloak kept its face hidden. It sat there for a moment as if taking in the scene in front of it before a masculine voice came from the black depths.

"Beryl my dear, you really need to work on your negotiating skills. Obviously what you are doing is not working." the shadow said in a calm, cultured tone.

"What the hell are you doing here Talon?" Beryl snarled.

The figure chuckled softly. "Aw sweetheart, aren't you glad to see me? I thought you would, seeing that I brought you a gift."

"What do you mean a gift? I thought I told you that I didn't want you around anymore." Beryl sniffed disdainfully.

Talon floated down closer toward them. "What I mean my darling is that I have brought you the ultimate bargaining chip."

Beryl, Serenity, and Darien's eyes all grew round as Talon pulled back the folds of his cloak and pulled out the struggling body of a little girl who looked to be about five years old. Darien was appalled that an innocent child was being used in this way.

Serenity abruptly tore herself away from him and began to run toward them. There was a large blast of light and Darien felt himself pulling away from this nightmare. All he could hear was Beryl's delighted cackle and Serenity screaming. But what haunted him most was what Serenity was screaming, a name, 'Melody'.

Darien opened his eyes to see that he was back in Serena's bedroom. He was on his knees on her carpet while he still held her body cradled in his arms. Her body was thrashing wildly and she was still in her princess form, her crescent moon mark glowing brightly upon her forehead.

"Darien, what's going on?" he heard Luna's voice ask. He turned to see the black feline on the windowsill where she had obviously just entered. Her eyes were wide as she took in both of them in their royal forms and her princess clearly in the throes of another nightmare.

Darien shook his head. "I'm not sure. She fell asleep at her desk and I was moving her to her bed when she started moaning in her sleep. Then she transformed into Serenity, which triggered my transformation. After that, things got all funny." He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. She was starting to calm down now. Her movements were slowing and the moans were becoming softer. She gave one last whimper and whispered, "Melody" softly before her crescent moon mark disappeared and her dress faded back into her pajamas.

Darien felt his own transformation fade as he carried her over to the bed and laid her down gently. He brushed the hair off her face as tears began streaming down her cheeks from under her closed eyelids. Luna jumped up beside her mistress and sighed. "This is what happened before." she said softly."

"You mean that nightmare she told me she had a couple of weeks ago?" Darien asked as he wiped the tears from Serena's cheek.

Luna nodded her head. "Yes. She was moaning and thrashing around. She began calling out for you, well for Endymion anyway. Then suddenly she sat up in the bed and called out another name."

"Melody" Darien said. "I heard her say it too. Look Luna, I don't know what happened, but I was able to experience her dream with her."

Luna's ears pricked up as she heard this. "You did? Do you remember any of it? Serena's memories of it were hazy last time."

Darien looked shaken. "Yeah, I remember." He quickly told Luna what he had experienced inside the dream. When he reached the end, he choked up as he relayed those events. "I don't know who that guy was, but it's sick to think of someone using a child like that."

Luna nodded. "Do you think this girl is our mysterious Melody?"

"Probably." Darien said. "Serenity didn't start screaming that name until she saw the girl. But this wasn't an accurate account of the last day on the moon. There were several things off." He then told Luna about the reference of the two crystals, how Serenity seemed older, and about Beryl assuming that he had the Golden Crystal. "I was thinking that maybe Serena was subconsciously trying to change the outcome of the dream. For all we know, this Melody is just a figment of her imagination."

"Trust me, I don't think even my imagination could make up all of that stuff." Serena spoke in a whisper.

Darien and Luna turned to see that Serena was awake. Her eyes were red and she still had tear tracks down her cheeks, but to Darien, she was the most beautiful thing in the world. He scooped her up into his arms and then sat down on her bed with her in his lap.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked gently, resting his chin on top of her head.

"A few minutes. Long enough to hear that I dragged you into my nightmare with me. I'm sorry Darien, I didn't mean…" she broke off as Darien laid a finger on her lips to silence her. He smiled down at her with that crooked grin of his that melted her heart.

"Hush." he admonished her. "We face things together, remember?" He planted a light kiss on her lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Luna cleared her throat and the two of them jumped apart slightly. She thought it was time to tell them about the research she and Artemis had done. "Well Serena, I'm assuming this time you remember the dream?"

Serena gave a shudder as she nodded. Darien tightened his arm around her in support. "Yes everything is much more vivid this time. It was strange though, it was like an out of body experience. Serenity took over and I had no control over my body. But almost nothing that happened matches up with my memories of that day. So maybe I am just having whacked out dreams."

Luna shook her head. "Maybe not Serena. I think you might have some repressed memories trying to come through. Look at this."

Luna jumped off the bed went over to the desk where the computer was. After fumbling around for a few moments trying to plug in a flash drive (being a cat does have it's disadvantages you know) she was able to pull a file up on the screen.

Serena and Darien both leaned down to look at the information. "Melody Rose" Serena mumbled. "Luna where did you find this?"

"In the moon computer's data base." Luna said. "I ran the name Melody through the system after your first nightmare. Something about the whole ordeal just told me that there was more to the story than just a random nightmare."

"But it's encrypted." Darien said, looking at the screen. "It's going to be hard to get anything from it."

Luna nodded. "Yes I know. Artemis and I have been trying to come up with the password to unlock it, and Amy's been helping us too, but we haven't been able to get much more than a birth date. According to this, the girl was five years old when the Moon Kingdom fell.

Serena and Darien looked at each other as they both remembered the girl from the dream. She looked to be about five, so it was possible that this file could be about that same girl.

"She seemed familiar to me." Serena said. "Maybe she was the daughter of one of the servants. I always made it a point to know all of their families. Or maybe she was one of the foundlings that lived in the castle. I remember that we usually had several children living in the castle. It was like having a bunch of brothers and sisters."

Luna looked thoughtful. "You might be on to something there Serena. See up here in the corner, there's the symbol of the royal house. So that means that this girl was either under the protection of the royal family, or a member of it."

Serena turned and walked away from the desk. "Well then, she had to be one of the kids that we had taken in because Queen Serenity and I were the last of the royal family."

"Yes, that has to be it." Luna agreed. "I just wish I knew why this file was encrypted. I mean, what secrets would someone want to hide away about a little girl who was probably either abandoned or orphaned?"

"That seems to be the million dollar question. Hey Luna, do you mind if I send a copy of this to my computer so I can look at it later?" Darien asked, still studying the screen.

Luna waved a paw at him. "Sure, go ahead, the more people working on it the better. Artemis and I have hit a dead end with it. Maybe you or Amy can come up with something."

Darien quickly attached the file to an e-mail and sent it to himself.

Suddenly they all heard a voice coming from outside the window. "Luna…Luna, are you still up?"

"Oh for crying out loud." Luna muttered as she ran across the room and leapt up onto the windowsill. "What is it Artemis?" she hissed out into the night. There was the sound of quiet voices for a moment and then Luna turned back to Serena. "Artemis and I have some plans for tonight. Serena, will you be okay?"

Serena giggled and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Go on Luna. Don't keep him waiting"

If Luna could have blushed, she would have at that moment. As it was, she mumbled a hasty goodnight and scrambled out the window. Leaving Serena and Darien chuckling softly.

Serena turned to Darien and said, "Those two better watch out, or Diana's going to be born early and mess up the timeline."

Darien laughed quietly and replied, "Yeah, but wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall to see Pluto break badass all over them?"

Serena buried her head in a pillow to muffle the laughter that was bubbling out of her. It would be bad if her dad heard her and decided to investigate the reason why his daughter was laughing hysterically at two in the morning. Serena just counted her blessings that nobody in her family had been awakened earlier during her nightmare.

Serena recovered from her laughing fit and gazed at her bed, knowing that she should get some more sleep, after all, she would have to get ready for school in a few hours.

Darien read the emotions crossing her face and knew that she was dreading going back to sleep and she didn't want to be alone. He would give anything to stay here with her, but knew that if Ken Tsukino caught him in here in the morning, he might as well start digging his own grave.

Serena suddenly whirled around with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Darien, do you mind if I crash at your place for the rest of the night?"

Serena staying over at his place was nothing new, but they never did it on a school night, and they always had one of the other girls cover for them. Then again, she was eighteen now and legally an adult. But Darien had pictures of her father chasing him, waving a gun wildly and threatening to kill him running through his head.

"I don't know Sere. What about your parents? Wouldn't they flip to find you gone in the morning? Darien asked worriedly.

Serena just grinned and said, "Nope, Mom will cover for us. She confessed a long time ago that she knew I wasn't always staying with one of the girls. She said that she knew how to read the signs because dad and her used to do the same thing when they were our age."

Darien returned her grin and said, "Well get your stuff together so we can get you tucked in for the night. You do still have two days of school left you know."

Serena stuck her tongue out at him like she used to do years ago. "Yes I do know, you jerk. So stop rubbing it in Mr. Brainiac."

This was said in such a perfect imitation of how she used to respond to him when they first met and he used to pick on her all the time, that he couldn't help himself. He fell back onto her bed and used the same pillow that she had used to muffle her laughter a few minutes ago to muffle his own.

She moved around the room stuffing her schoolbooks into one bag and her clothing in another. She walked over and picked her broach up before whispering, "Moon Eternal Power" and transforming into Sailor Moon.

Darien stood and pulled out a red rose as he transformed into Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon tossed the bag that held her books at him. He caught it and threw it over his shoulder.

Sailor Moon turned to smirk at him over her shoulder. "Come on, Cape boy, let's go." With that, she leapt from the window.

Chuckling to himself, Tuxedo Mask followed her out into the star filled night.

**A/N** Well guys, that's it for Chapter 5. I know that this chapter has raised a few more questions, but I promise answers are coming. This story is far from over. Don't forget to hit the button below and tell me how I'm doing. Later!

Sere-chan


	6. Party Plans and Youmas and Suprises, Oh

**A/N **Okay everyone. You have all been so great about reading this story that I just have to keep the updates coming. I'm not going to ramble on this time, but I would feel bad if I didn't give my shout out to my reviewers.

**KageNoNeko**

**xo Usako ox**

**snoopykid**

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**JmacKarla**

**storycrazy22**

Take a bow guys, you deserve it, and thanks also to everyone who has put this story on alert.

Standard disclaimer still applies. I still don't own Sailor Moon. Here's Chapter 6!

**ENJOY!!!**

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 6

Party Plans and Youmas and Surprises, Oh My!

It was Friday afternoon and Darien was sitting on his favorite stool at the counter of the Crown arcade sipping coffee and enjoying a visit with his best friend. They had been friends for years and were as close as brothers. Darien wondered to himself how in the world he had survived being away from here for so long.

It seemed like old times again. Sitting here, chatting with Andrew in between him waiting on customers, while having his afternoon coffee and waiting for Serena to get out of school. Even though they had kept in close contact while Darien had been gone, they still found that they had a lot of catching up to do. They were laughing about a story that Darien had just told about a college prank he had seen played on someone while in America when the doors to the arcade slid open.

Serena walked in with Mina, Lita, and Amy. Darien was once again stunned by the changes in his angel. When she was younger, she would have come flying through the door screaming like a banshee and knocking over everyone in sight, until she managed to trip over her own feet and go sprawling on the floor.

She now came gracefully walking in. Although, when she spotted him sitting on the stool she picked up her pace a little to cross over to him. "Hi." she said in a breathy voice as he pulled her into his arms.

"Hey baby. How was your day?" he asked as he brushed a light kiss on her temple.

She pulled back to look into his face. "It was absolutely wonderful. I turned in all my final assignments and put in my last few hours in that place. I'm finally done. No more high school. It's the greatest feeling in the world."

Darien put an expression of mock disappointment on his face. "The _greatest_ feeling in the world?"

Serena's cheeks turned slightly pink at his implication. "Well…not the greatest…oh you know what I mean."

Darien chuckled at the stammering beauty in front of him. Even after all these years he still loved to pick on her.

Andrew laughed and said, "All hail the conquering graduates. To show my congratulations, how about a round of shakes, on the house?"

This brought a chorus of agreement from all the girls as they took seats at the counter. Serena elected to hop up on Darien's lap. He let out a fake sounding groan. "Hey watch it Meatball Head. You're not as light as you used to be."

They all broke into laughter as Serena squirmed, trying to tickle Darien's ribs. They were all having such a good time, that they didn't see the newest occupant come in until she slammed her purse down on the counter and stalked up to Serena.

Serena cringed back into Darien's chest as she came face to face with an enraged Raye. The raven-haired priestess had fury written all over her features. Flames were smoldering in her violet eyes, and she was visibly shaking.

"Uh…Hey Raye…What's wrong?" Serena squeaked out, wondering what had gotten her friend so worked up.

Raye took in a shaky breath and spat, "I'll tell you what's wrong you feather brained meatball head. Your mother is positively ruining everything. My grandpa was going to leave on his trip tomorrow after the ceremony. But now that your mother has invited everyone over for her little party, he's decided to wait and leave on Sunday instead."

'_Oh shit, this was not good.'_ Serena thought. She and the other girls had been planning this gradation party for weeks. They had planned on having the temple entirely to themselves. There was going to be loud music and dancing, and Mina had even been able to get a hold of some alcohol so that they would be able to toast to themselves on finally completing high school. No way would that happen if her grandpa was there.

Serena put that out of her mind for a minute while she thought about Raye's words to her, her own temper starting to flare. She jumped off of Darien's lap and got almost nose-to-nose with her best friend.

"Now listen to me very carefully." she growled out into a quiet, but deadly voice. "I tried to talk her out of having this party, but she insisted. I don't have the heart to disappoint her. So if this makes her happy, I'm going to let her do it. And as for the 'meatball head' comment, that is the second time in two minutes that I have been called that. Obviously everyone needs to have their eyes checked because there are no meatballs on this head today."

By the end of this Serena's voice had risen to a yell. She was now shaking as bad as Raye and she had tears in her eyes. Raye pulled back to look at the angry, and hurt, blue eyes of the girl in front of her before throwing herself in Serena's arms and sobbing on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sere. I shouldn't have snapped like that."

Everyone else had been struck motionless and speechless during this confrontation. They all quickly snapped out of it as the two girls removed their arms from around each other and wiped their eyes. Raye went and took a seat next to Amy as Serena assumed her previous position on Darien's lap.

Lita let out a sigh. "So what are we going to do? The location for our bash has officially been busted. I would say have it at my place, but my neighbors would complain. We can't do it at any of your places because of parents."

"Maybe the Outer's would let us do it at their house." Serena said.

"I seriously doubt that." Amy spoke up. "Remember the New Year's Eve party we had there?"

"Oh yeah." the rest of them mumbled.

Darien looked confused. "Why? What happened New Year's?"

Andrew chuckled. "Remember some of our parties we had in high school, Darien?"

Yes Darien remembered those days. It was hard to imagine these girls partying that hard. But then again, they were teenagers.

Suddenly Mina's head popped up. "I think I have a solution. Be right back." She walked toward the doors of the arcade, pulling a bright orange cell phone from her pocket.

Raye shook her head. "I know she's not calling Kunzite. The guys banned us from partying at their place after Mina's eighteenth birthday bash."

Lita laughed. "I don't know why. It all turned out right in the end."

All the girls were quiet for a moment as they remembered that wild night and how all of them had woken up in bed with their boyfriends the next morning. Except Serena, who had passed out on the couch. The apartment had been pretty trashed though, and the generals had firmly said no more parties at their place.

Suddenly the doors opened and a blur shot through. Moving faster than was almost humanly possible, the figure tried to stop and skidded the last few feet into the counter. With a pretty audible bump, the figure slumped over the counter breathing harshly as if they had performed a thousand meter dash in world record time.

It was definitely the form of a woman. Clad in faded jeans and a white t-shirt, she had a navy blue ball cap on her head. A long braid of golden caramel colored hair hung down her back.

Everybody jumped and stared at the new arrival as she raised her head, revealing wide, panicked eyes of deep ocean blue.

"Geez Jess, what a way to make an entrance." Andrew said laughingly. "Where's the fire. You're not scheduled to work today."

"Omigosh…I can't find one of my textbooks. I thought I left it here. I called earlier and Liz said she hadn't seen it and I have class in less than twenty minutes. I tore up my apartment looking for it and it wasn't there. My assignment is inside it and if I don't have it my professor is going to kill me. I know it has to be here because I haven't been anywhere else and I don't know what to do." All of this was said very rapidly and in a voice that was fast becoming a wail. Those impossibly dark blue eyes beginning to fill with tears.

Andrew threw up his hands. "Whoa, slow down and take a breath before you hyperventilate. I have your book right here under the counter. I found it earlier and was going to bring it to you later. If I had known you needed it today, I would have called you."

Jess jumped over the counter and threw her arms around Andrew giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you so much Drew. You are the best."

Andrew blushed bright red as he mumbled. "You're welcome."

"I gotta run. I know I'll never make it in time, but better late than never. I just hope my professor doesn't give me too hard of a time." Jess said as she grabbed her book and headed for the door.

"Wait a minute." Andrew said, taking off his apron and turning to his sister who had just come from the back. "Hey Liz, can you hold the fort for a few minutes. I'm gonna give Jess a lift over to the college."

Liz waved her hand and said, "Sure, sure. Get going."

Jess's eyes lit up. "Really Andrew? You're a lifesaver."

As they walked out the door, Liz shook her head. "I really wish those two would hurry up and get together already. They're driving me nuts."

The rest of them laughed. "Is it really getting that bad?" Serena asked sympathetically.

Liz sighed. "You have no idea. She's not really trying to hide how she feels, but that brother of mine is so dense. I told him to go ahead and ask her out, but he says that he doesn't think she sees their relationship like that. He thinks that she is only looking for friendship since she's new to town. If you ask me, that girl is just looking for some happiness. She's had a rough couple of years."

"Really, what happened?" Raye and Lita asked together. They were the second biggest gossip queens after Mina, and they were always looking for a good story.

Liz was happy to oblige them. "Well, when I say she's new to town, that's not entirely true. She was born here and lived here until she was like five or six. Then her dad got a job in America, so they moved to Los Angeles. Then about two years ago both of her parents died in a car accident. She went to live with an aunt and uncle, but they didn't get along too well. So when she turned eighteen a friend of her mom's that still lives here asked her to come stay with her and finish college here. She's like really smart. Graduated high school when she was sixteen or something like that."

Everyone was quiet for a moment as they processed all the information. They all felt sympathy for the bright, energetic girl, especially Darien who had lost his own parents in a car crash when he was six. He had lived in an orphanage until he was sixteen and began receiving money from a trust fund set up by his parents that enabled him to move into his own place.

Mina breezed back through the doors. "Okay everyone, crisis solved. Kunzite is allowing us to party at their place as long as be don't tear it up too bad and we help clean up afterward."

"Wow Mina." Lita said with a grin. "What did you have to promise to do for him in order to get him to agree to that?"

The rest of the girls snickered. Mina was the type of person that was incapable of keeping anything to herself, so it was pretty common knowledge that she and Kunzite had a pretty active bedroom life. The others usually had to beg her to keep that information to herself.

"Well…he did come up with this one idea where we…" she began.

"STOP!" the four girls yelled in unison.

Lita sighed. "It was a rhetorical question you air head.

They all laughed, feeling better now that their plans were back on track. They were finalizing the details when Andrew walked back in with a big smile on his face.

"Oh Andrew." Serena called out when she saw him. "You'll come to our party tomorrow night won't you?"

"Wouldn't miss it." he said. "You don't mind if I bring someone along with me, do you?"

"Finally!" they all said laughing. Andrew stared at them all with a bewildered expression.

Liz walked over and patted her brother on the shoulder. "We were all wondering when you were going to get your ass in gear and ask her out."

Andrew found himself surrounded by a group of giggling females and looked at Darien pleadingly. "Mind helping a fellow out?"

Darien held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry pal, you're on your own."

All laughter and chatter stopped when a beeping noise was heard coming from Serena's communicator. She flipped it open to see Luna on the screen.

"What's up, Luna?" she asked.

Luna replied, "There are two youmas in the park near the university. They are near the playground. They seem to be targeting children."

"We're on it." Serena said snapping the communicator closed.

The five girls and Darien quickly went through the back exit of the arcade and into an alley. After looking around to make sure that no one was around, they called out their transformations.

"Moon Eternal Power"

"Mars Crystal Power"

"Mercury Crystal Power"

"Jupiter Crystal Power"

"Venus Crystal Power"

Darien pulled out a rose and transformed.

A few seconds later, the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask were making their way to the park.

It didn't take them long to reach the park. When they got there they headed straight for the playground. When they arrived a horrifying sight met their eyes.

All of the adults lay unconscious on the ground and the two youmas had a group of about twenty kids herded together against the wall that encircled the play area.

Each of the youma took turns reaching out and picking up a child and studying them intently before tossing them aside. There were only a few left when one of the youma turned to the other and said, "The master said he felt the energy from here. One of these children has to be the one." It reached out a hand for a little girl who cringed and whimpered, trying desperately to find a way to escape.

Sailor Moon's temper exploded. Without waiting for the others, she barged onto the playground and yelled, "Get away from those children right now before I give you a beating you won't soon forget."

The two youmas turned toward her. They could have passed for humans if it hadn't been for their blood red eyes. They began to walk forward, coming toward her at a swift pace. She heard the others come up behind her and get into position. The youmas paused when they saw the reinforcements.

The one on the left spoke. "We search for the one blessed with the absolute power of the two bloodlines."

The one on the right shot forward in a blur and had Sailor Moon by the arm before anyone could move. "Her energy is very strong, perhaps she is the one we seek."

The other youma moved quickly and had her by the other arm. The scouts and Tuxedo Mask began to move in.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll let her go and back away." Sailor Jupiter said cracking her knuckles, lightening was beginning to spark around her.

Sailor Mars seconded that, flames already forming at her fingertips. "That's right assholes. Unhand her and we'll give you a fighting chance before we kill you."

Sailor Mercury had her visor on and her computer out, trying to get a reading on them.

Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Venus were slowly circling, looking for an opportunity to strike.

The youmas ignored them as they kept their hold on Sailor Moon. They were both studying her intently. The second one said, "Her energy is very strong, and it is similar to what we are looking for, but she is not the one, she is too old."

The first one replied, "Maybe we should take her with us. She may prove useful."

"No chance in hell." Tuxedo Mask snarled as he let loose a volley of roses at the first youma as Venus snared the other in her Love Chain and yanked it away from Moon. The youmas had been too occupied with their conversation to see them get into position.

The youmas growled before letting loose an energy wave that knocked them all off their feet.

Suddenly there was a call of, "Crescent Moon Explosive Wave"

The youmas were blasted back into the wall as a figure jumped down from a nearby tree. She was dressed in a sailor fuku that had a three-tiered skirt in pink, yellow, and blue. Pink knee high boots encased her legs and she had pink bows on the front and back of her fuku. A heart shaped locket was in the middle of the bow on her chest. She appeared to be about sixteen years old, and had long bubble gum pink hair pulled into a familiar odango hairstyle. Bright maroon eyes stared at the enemy.

"You tangled with the wrong family creeps. I am Sailor Crescent Moon, and I'm about to send you packing." said the new arrival.

One of the youma prepared to shoot an attack at her. Crescent Moon pulled out a wand about two feet long and cried, "Moonlight Serenade". The youma turned to dust. She turned to the second one, but it disappeared before she could attack.

She turned to the scouts and Tuxedo Mask, who were still on the ground and grinned. "Looks like I showed up just in time."

Sailor Moon jumped to her feet and ran to the younger girl. She grabbed her up tightly in a hug while exclaiming, "Rini, what on earth are you doing here?"

Crescent Moon laughed. "Are you kidding? There's no way I would miss seeing the world's biggest dunce actually graduating from high school."

"Hey!" Sailor Moon cried and Crescent Moon laughed and said, "Just kidding." her laughter turned to a squeal as Tuxedo Mask came and scooped her up and twirled her around.

She threw her arms around his neck and told him, "I told you I would come and visit soon. I finished my last test this afternoon and headed straight for the time door."

Tuxedo Mask sat her back on her feet and said, "Wow, you've grown."

It was true. While she still resembled the young girl who had first come from the future seeking their help against the Dark Moon Family, and then later returned as a lanky, preteen trainee sailor scout, this was a young woman on the verge of adulthood.

"I'll be sixteen in less than two months." she stated proudly.

The people who had been knocked unconscious were beginning to stir, and the children were making their way back to their parents, so they decided it was a good time to leave. They all retreated until they found a place to detransform, then they all headed for Darien's apartment to talk about the recent events. The other scouts called their generals and told them to meet them there.

As they walked down the street Serena said, "Sailor Crescent Moon, huh?"

Rini nodded. "Yeah when I was fourteen my power increased. Momma told me that that was the same age that she became Sailor Moon. She said I could have the name if I wanted it, but I thought that name belong to her alone, so I created my own."

Serena felt tears in her eyes as she thought that this was her future self that Rini spoke of with such love and devotion. She glanced sideways at Darien and saw that he was looking at her with that knowing look that told her that he knew what she was feeling.

"_Wow, that's some kid we're gonna have someday.'_ she heard him say in her mind.

She smiled at him._ "Yeah, I guess I'm doing something right in the future.'_

They shared a silent laugh together as they continued toward Darien's apartment building. They soon arrived and met up with the generals as they all rode up in the elevator to the top floor.

When they all had settled in with something to drink, they began discussing what had happened that afternoon.

"I think it's sick that they were targeting children." Serena stated hotly. "That's just plain gross."

Amy spoke up from where she was working on her Mercury computer. "Not all the children. Didn't you notice how they were only going after the girls, and only the really young ones like six or younger."

After a moment of silence Darien spoke. "Do you think this has to do with that encrypted file that Luna and Artemis found?"

"Maybe, but until we figure out the password, I'm afraid that there is no way of finding out." Amy responded.

Rini asked in a soft voice, "Are you talking about the Melody Rose file?"

All eyes turned to look at her. "You know about this file?" Raye asked. All the scouts and the generals had been filled in on Serena's strange nightmare and about the encrypted computer file.

Rini held out her hand for Amy's computer. "May I?"

Amy handed it over and Rini tapped some keys. A few moments later she handed it back to Amy and said, "There you go. I'm not supposed to tell you anything about it, but mom and dad told me that I could give you the password."

Darien hurried over and looked over Amy's shoulder. Before where there had been encoded gibberish, it was now perfectly legible.

"Amazing" Amy breathed.

Darien moved toward his own computer to pull up the file to have a better look at it. "Rini, can you unlock it on my computer?"

Rini sighed. "The password is 'Butterfly'."

"This is incredible." Amy said, scanning over the information. "It says she was taken into the castle when she was approximately a week old. Both parents deceased. Her father had been a sergeant in the Royal Lunar army and was killed in action two months before she was born. Her mother died during childbirth. Nothing worth hiding so well."

Darien spoke from over at his computer. "I found the medical records. Seemed like a healthy baby. A few illnesses and bumps and bruises along the way, nothing serious, but what does this mean. Bloodline L/T?"

Amy typed furiously on her computer. "Just a minute. There's a key that shows what the Lunarian medical codes mean. Let's see. L/T stands for someone who has Lunarian and Terran blood. So if this girl's father was Lunarian, I'm guessing her mother was from Earth.

"But that was unheard of." Lita said. "The Lunarians and the Terrans weren't supposed to have any personal relationships together."

Nephrite laughed. "Oh please. I can think of at least one couple that broke that rule."

All eyes turned to Serena and Darien who both blushed.

Jadeite snickered. "Yeah I can't count how many times we caught Endymion sneaking up to the Moon, or busted Serenity for coming down here."

"Busted them my ass." Mina howled. "I think you all encouraged it because it either gave you guys an excuse to come see us on the moon, or you knew that eventually we would come down to look for Serenity."

All the generals stammered and looked away at that comment. Mina looked smug, knowing that she had caught them.

Zoicite tried to be the voice of reason. "That was a lifetime ago. It doesn't have any bearing on the present time. Let's drop it."

Serena looked at the clock and saw the time. "Oh man, where did the time go? I gotta get home. Mom's probably wondering where I am. Rini, are you coming with me?"

Rini nodded. "Yeah, is my room still ready for me, or did Sammy junk it up with all of his stuff?"

Serena ruffled her future daughter's hair. "Nope, I wouldn't let him touch your room. It's still the same as it was the last time you were here."

"Well let's go then. I'm hungry for Grandma, oops, I mean Aunt Ilene's cooking." Rini gave Darien a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek and headed for the door.

All the others got up too. "I guess we should all be going, we have a busy day tomorrow." Amy said taking Zoicite's hand.

"Yep, get the last of this school stuff over with." Lita commented grabbing Nephrite and hauling him toward the door.

"Yeah I've got to go help grandpa out." said Raye, walking out with Jadeite right behind her.

"I need to start getting things ready too." Mina giggled. "The goddess of love is not showing up to her own graduation looking anything other than stunning. Don't look at me like that Kunzite. I'm getting my beauty sleep tonight." With that she twirled for the door, with Kunzite grinning after her.

Serena turned and walked into Darien's arms. He held her close to him before lowering his lips to hers and kissing her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her fingers through his silky jet-black hair.

"Come on Serena." Rini's voice came from the hallway.

Serena sighed and pulled away from him. "I guess I'll talk to you later." she said as she picked up her purse and turned toward the door.

Darien pulled her back into one last lingering kiss before releasing her. "I'll be over later for a proper good night." he told her.

Serena giggled softly and said, "Just make sure you're quiet. If my dad catches you, we're both dead."

Darien gave her an evil smirk. "Sweetheart I'm Tuxedo Mask. He'll never know I was there."

Serena cupped his face in her hands before looking deep into his eyes. "No you're my prince. My knight in shining armor. I'll be waiting for you." she whispered.

With one last smile she walked out the door.

**A/N** All right there was Chapter 6. I hope you enjoyed it. I've got a poll on my profile page about a question that will come up later in the story, so take a moment to click on it and tell me what you think. Also, keep those reviews coming, they're my inspiration.

Later!

Sere-chan


	7. Graduation Celebration

**A/N** Hey everyone! Well here we are at Chapter 7. Now I know you guys are used to me updating every few days, but I'm going out of town this week to visit my grandmother, so I may be a little late on posting Chapter 8. But don't worry, I'll be posting again almost the minute I walk in the door.

So it's shout out time. Amazing response to Chapter 6. Each time I think I have posted my most popular chapter, you guys surprise me with your wonderful reviews. So BIG HUGS to:

**KageNoNeko**

**SilverMoonlight9**

**snoopykid**

**xo Usako ox**

**Ldsprincess**

**JmacKarla**

**amaramichelle**

**missmyrtlemay**

**Kelly**

Thank you guys very much. Keep those reviews coming. And don't forget I have a poll on my profile page about Andrew and a certain ex-girlfriend of his. Take a minute and vote. Right now my girl Jess is in the lead unanimously as your choice for the title of Andrew's girl.

Disclaimer is still the same. Wishing I own Sailor Moon, but I still don't. Anyway here's Chapter 7.

**ENJOY!!!**

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 7

Graduation Celebration

Darien was sitting in the kitchen of the Tsukino house. He was sipping on a glass of lemonade while talking and laughing with Rini and Ilene and trying to ignore the death glares coming from Ken, when they all heard a panicked wail come down the stairs for the fifth time in about ten minutes.

"MOMMYYY!!!" Serena's voice had reached a pitch that could almost shatter glass.

Ilene sat down her drink and walked toward the door. "Okay, that sounded serious. She hasn't called me 'mommy' since she was ten." She disappeared to see what crisis her daughter was facing.

"Serena better hurry up or she's going to be late for her own graduation." Rini huffed. "They'll have to give her diploma to someone else. Of course with grades like hers, who would want it?"

Ken pulled his black stare away from Darien to look at his 'niece'. "Now Rini, you've been gone for a while. While Serena may have just barely squeaked by in middle school, she did a complete turn around when she hit high school. Her grades have been superb. As a matter of fact, I don't think she's brought home anything but A's this year."

Rini was wide eyed in disbelief. "Really? Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"

Darien laughed. "Yeah I know. Hard to believe, isn't it. I was skeptical at first too, but Amy assured me that Serena was actually studying and getting good grades. Shocked everyone."

Ilene walked back in and said, "She's fine, problem solved. She should be down in a minute, so I guess we should get ready to leave.

They all made their way into the front hall and were waiting when Serena made her appearance at the top of the stairs a minute later.

Darien's breath caught in his throat. She was stunning. Her dress was a very pale pearly pink with spaghetti straps. It fit tight to her torso and then gently flared out from her hips to stop right above her knees. Her lightly tanned legs seemed to go on for miles until they reached high heels made of pearly satin. Her long golden hair had been curled and then gathered at the crown of her head in a gold and pearl clip. She began to make her way down the stairs and Darien grinned when he saw that she wearing the gold rose necklace that he had given her on their first Christmas.

Serena couldn't take her eyes off Darien as he stood at the foot of the stairs looking like the prince he was. His black suit fit him beautifully, and contrasted wonderfully with his snowy white shirt and blood red silk tie. She reached the bottom of the staircase and he held his hand out to take hers before lifting it to his lips and brushing a light kiss across the back of it.

"_You are stunning, angel.'_ he said silently to her.

He heard her laughter in his head. _'You don't look half bad yourself. Maybe we should consider giving Tuxedo Mask a new look.'_

Ken cleared his throat gruffly. "You look beautiful, pumpkin. Well I guess we better get going. Are you sure you don't want to ride with your mother and I?"

Ilene swatted her husband. "Leave them alone. I'm glad we're taking two separate cars because that way we can leave before the others and get back here to get everything ready."

They all left the house and got into the cars. Ilene and Ken in theirs, and Darien had Serena and Rini in his.

As they were driving to the school, Serena couldn't help but notice how quiet Rini was. Turning slightly to look at the girl in the backseat she asked, "Are you okay, Rini?"

Rini blinked her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I was just having a moment. You know, sometimes I forget that you two are really the past forms of my parents. It seems like four different people in my head, my parents and you guys. But when you came down the stairs and Darien took your hand, it was like déjà vu. I've seen that scene a hundred times with my parents. It was just creepy for a second."

Serena and Darien laughed at that, Rini joining in. A few minutes later they were at the school. Serena hugged her parents and Rini and gave Darien a quick kiss before going to the room where all the graduates had to go to put on the horrible robes that would cover up all the nice clothes they were wearing.

She met up with the other girls and they spent a few moments hugging and squealing as they got ready. She looked at her four best friends. She was glad that Raye had transferred to this school two years ago, so they could all graduate together.

Teachers came through and got them in line before leading them into the auditorium. It was so jam packed that it was impossible to find anyone, but she felt Darien's presence and drew from his strength to steady her nerves.

The principal got up onstage and gave a welcoming speech. Then he began calling out names and the graduates would walk across and get their diploma.

"Mina Aino" Mina almost danced across the stage.

"Raye Hino" Raye was more sedate.

"Lita Kino" Lita stalked in her long legged stride.

"Amy Mizuno" Amy primly walked over.

Serena awaited her turn. She wished all of their names had been close together so that they could stand beside each other. The names kept going. It was like slow torture. Then the principal called out, "Serena Tsukino". At last. She walked as gracefully as she could across the stage toward the principal. As he handed her the diploma, she looked out over the crowd.

She zeroed in on those midnight blue eyes immediately. He had a big smile on his face and she could feel his love for her in that moment.

'_I'm proud of you meatball head.'_

'_Ohh, I'll get you back for that.'_

She exited the stage and went back to her seat. After a few more minutes all the names were called. Then Amy was called up as valedictorian to make her speech. After that the principal spoke again.

"We always like to mention our top three students every year. It was a tight race this year. Amy Mizuno took the top honors this year. Melvin Overstreet came in a very close second. And right on their heels was Serena Tsukino who walks away third overall. We congratulate all our students and wish them the best." Then he said the final words. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present this year's graduating class."

The air was filled with caps as all the graduates threw them up in celebration. Serena was still in shock over coming in third in the class. She had hoped to make it into the top five, but never imagined coming that close to Amy and Melvin.

She and the others went outside and began looking around for their families and loved ones.

Serena saw her parents standing over by a tree and made her way over to them. Her father grabbed her up in a big bear hug and squeezed her tightly. "Congratulations pumpkin. We are so proud of you."

Ilene wiped tears from her eyes. "Yes, my little baby coming in third. I never would have thought it. But we'll talk more about it later. I've got to get home and get everything ready for the party. Rini took off with Darien, so please make sure you bring her with you."

Ken and Ilene left as Serena began searching for the others. The crowd of people made it hard to spot anyone so she focused on Darien, trying to sense his presence. He felt very close.

A bright red rose suddenly appeared in front of her face as a strong arm wrapped around her waist. She leaned back against Darien's chest as he breathed against her ear, "Who gave you permission to become the smart one in this relationship?"

She giggled softly as she turned in his arms. "Not exactly Mr. Valedictorian. I still can't comprehend half of those books you read."

He lowered his head to lay his lips on hers, his arms tightening around her waist as she wound her arms around his neck.

"Oh please, get a room you guys. I'm scarred for life now. I'll never be able to look at my parents the same way ever again." Rini's voice reached them.

They pulled slightly apart and glanced over to where the scouts, generals, and Rini were watching them.

Rini kept muttering to herself. "Actually I guess I should be used to it by now. They're always sneaking off during meetings, grabbing and touching each other when they think no one's looking. God forbid if they find an empty room for five minutes. How in the world they manage to rule the Earth is beyond me…" She broke off as she felt everyone staring at her.

She blushed dark red. "Well it's true. I'm amazed I don't have a ton of brothers and sisters running around. Instead I get stuck with…"

"Small Lady" a voice broke in. "I think you've said enough." Trista spoke as she and the Outer Scouts joined the group.

"I didn't know you guys were coming." Serena said.

Amara grinned. "Surprise kitten. We watched from the back. Hotaru wanted to know if Rini wanted to spend the night with her tonight, since I'm sure you will be busy."

"Can I Serena? Please." Rini begged, turning her best puppy dog eyes on her future mother.

"Fine with me." Serena answered. "But first we have to get through with mom's party. I promised her that I would make sure you got there."

Raye stepped forward. "Speaking of which, I guess we better get there and get it over with so we can get on with the real party."

They all agreed and left for their cars.

* * *

The moon was rising brightly over Tokyo as Serena and Darien walked through the park on the way to the general's place for the graduation bash. They had finally gotten away from her parents and dropped Rini off at the Outer's house. They had left the car at Darien's apartment and decided to walk.

They held hands as they strolled down the path that took them through the rose garden by the pond in the center of the park. They had a hundred memories here. There was their favorite bench where they used to sit and talk for hours. Well Serena would talk, Darien usually had his nose in a book.

Darien pulled Serena over to their bench and they both sat down. Serena laid her head on his shoulder and breathed in the warm night air. "We shouldn't sit here too long you know. The others are probably wondering what's taking us so long to get there."

Darien sighed. "Yeah I know. I just wanted a quiet moment before we get there." He picked up her hand and traced the pink heart shaped ring that he had put on her finger over two years ago. "Do you ever take it off?" he asked her.

Serena shook her head. "No, never. Even though my dad almost pulled my whole finger off trying to get to it the first time he saw it." she giggled.

"Would you ever consider taking it off?" Darien asked softly.

Serena raised her head to look at him. "Why would I?"

Darien suddenly stood up and then turned to face her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box before kneeling in front of her. "Not even if I got you something better?"

Serena's eyes filled with tears as she started muttering, "omigosh… omigosh…omigosh…" under her breath.

Darien opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. Set on a gold band, it had three diamonds in a row in the setting. "These three stones represent our past, our present, and our future. Serena Tsukino, my princess, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Everything was still and quiet for a moment before Serena hurled herself into Darien's arms crying, "Yes, yes, yes. Of course I will my prince."

Darien slid the promise ring off her finger and replaced it with the new engagement ring. Then he pulled his new fiancé close to him before kissing her with all the love and passion he felt for her.

Serena responded back just as enthusiastically. When the need for air finally made them come up for breath, they reluctantly pulled apart.

Serena groaned. "Now I almost wish we didn't have this party to go to."

Darien chuckled. "Oh come on. I know you can't wait to go show this off and brag to the girls."

Serena giggled. "Well, I can already imagine Raye's face. This could be fun. Let's go get it over with."

Darien stood and offered his hand to Serena and said. "Are you ready to make your entrance princess?"

She grabbed his hand as he helped her to her feet. "I'm with you my prince. Let's go give them something to talk about."

* * *

A few hours later, the party was in full swing. The generals had bought the top two floors of an apartment building and had gutted it before remodeling it the way they wanted. The end result was each of them having their own personal suite, including a sitting room, bedroom, and private bath, decorated to their own taste. There was a large shared living area with a den, a game room complete with a pool table, a dining room that could easily seat twenty people, and a kitchen that would make a world-class chef jealous. There was even a huge home gym where they could spar and train in private. It was like having a mini-mansion at the top of a high-rise building. The best part was that it was soundproof, no need to worry about bothering the neighbors with the loud music coming from the speakers.

Darien and Andrew were standing by the bar talking to the generals as they watched the six energetic teenage girls that were dancing wildly in the center of the room. Three blondes, two golden haired and one with hair a few shades darker were practically dancing circles around the brunette, raven haired, and bluenette girl. Suddenly one of the golden blondes twirled too fast and fell to the floor while the others laughed.

Kunzite let out a frustrated breath. "I'm gonna have to cut Mina off soon. I swear that girl has no tolerance for alcohol. I sure don't want a repeat of what happened at her birthday party."

The other generals nodded and Andrew chuckled. "Yeah I remember that. How did you get her off the roof anyway?"

"What happened?" Darien asked.

Jadeite snickered. "Our dear Mina had consumed quite a few drinks and decided to test a theory about whether transforming would sober her up."

"Not that it worked." Nephrite added. "We ended up with a drunk Sailor Venus on the roof proclaiming that she was perfectly sober and standing way too close to the edge for comfort."

Zoicite took a sip of his drink and said, "Serena finally talked her down. It took a half hour of her listening to Mina's rambling and assuring her that she was the best sailor scout before she finally detransformed and came back in."

Darien shook his head in disbelief. "I never knew they had this kind of partying spirit. I guess because the whole time I've been around, we've been busy fighting one enemy after the other."

All of the generals looked down as they heard this. They had all been one of those enemies at one time. They weren't proud of the fact that they had allowed Beryl to brainwash them into fighting against their prince and his princess and the women they loved.

Darien lifted his glass. "I know what you guys are thinking, so stop it. It's ancient history now. You couldn't help what that bitch did." He turned to look back at the girls. They had stopped dancing and were looking through the cd's to see what to play next.

Jess was right in the middle of them, talking and laughing as if she had been friends with them for years. Darien couldn't help but wonder what her reaction would be if she knew that she was surrounded by the Sailor Scouts. He said to Andrew, "Looks like Jess has been adopted into the group."

Andrew smiled at his best friend. "Yeah, I'm glad. I figured Serena and the girls would take her under their wing. She deserves it. She's trying so hard to find a place where she belongs. I met her mom's friend Dawn earlier when I picked her up. I thought the woman was going to cry when she found out where we were going. I've got a feeling that she has been alone way too much in the last few years."

Darien nodded. He knew first hand what that was like. At the orphanage he had always felt so alone. When he left there, he still had kept himself closed off from people, except for Andrew, until a loud-mouthed schoolgirl had literally barged into his life and refused to leave. He smiled to himself as he watched Serena get up from where the other girls were arguing over what music to play next and made her way over to the doors that led out onto the balcony.

Darien slipped away from the guys and followed her. As he stepped through the doors, he stopped short at the vision she made. Her arms resting on the railing, she had her eyes closed as she tilted her head back. Bright moonlight illuminated her flushed face as she took a deep breath of the night air.

"It was getting stuffy in there." she said opening her eyes and turning toward him.

He stepped away from the doors and crossed over to her. He leaned back against the rails, chuckling softly. "Do all of your parties turn out like this?"

She giggled. "Yeah usually. We've now reached the point where we just wait for Mina to finally run out of steam."

"Well I hope it's soon. We wouldn't want a drunk Sailor Venus on the roof this time. I don't think Kunzite could handle it."

Serena swatted him on the shoulder. "Oh so they told you about that one. Well if it happens again, someone else can talk her down this time. I'm not sitting up there all night listening to her insane ramblings." she swayed a bit as she stepped back.

Darien reached out a hand to steady her. "And how much have you had to drink? I don't want a drunk Sailor Moon on the roof either."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I've only had two. You should talk. I know I've seen you have at least three."

He held his glass up. "This is my fourth actually. But don't worry, I know my limit."

Raye stuck her head out of the door. "There you guys are. I think we can officially end the party now. Mina's gone all quiet and still. I think Kunzite about to bundle her off to bed before she gets a second wind."

"Yeah, yeah. We're coming." Serena said as she and Darien both pushed away from the rail. They crossed to the door and Darien went in first as Serena paused to look back out over the city. She had a feeling there for a moment that someone was watching her. She was turning back to the door when a shadow fell over her.

Swiftly turning back around, she saw a sight that made her heart jump in her chest. It was just like her nightmare. There was a black robed figure hovering right beside the balcony. Its face was hidden inside the deep hood that was pulled over its head.

Then the voice that had haunted her dreams drawled, "Well, well Princess Serenity. We meet again."

"Talon." she gasped, remembering the name that she had heard Beryl call him in her dream.

Talon gave an evil laugh. "So nice to see you remember me. I was under the impression that you didn't have all of your memories of your past life. That will make this all the easier."

"What…" Serena began, but cut off with a startled shriek as Talon shot forward and wrapped a long fingered hand around her throat. She clawed at the hand that was cutting off her airway as he lifted her a few feet off the ground.

"Serena!" she heard from behind her as everyone raced out to see what had caused her to scream. They all stopped abruptly at the sight of Serena dangling in the clutches of this unknown assailant.

"Well, it appears the gang's all here. Let's see, we've got Prince Endymion, not a total surprise there. Sailors Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus, still watching out for their little princess I see. Even Beryl's lackeys are here. I must admit, that's a little shocking seeing how last time I remember seeing all of you, you had just murdered the women standing next to you before killing yourselves." Talon's voice sounded amused as he said all of this.

"What the hell do you want?" Darien asked, taking a step toward them.

Talon stepped back, bringing him and Serena closer to the edge of the balcony. "Careful Endymion, I wouldn't want there to be an accident that sends Serenity plunging to her death. Not yet anyway. She has some information that I need first." He turned his focus back to Serena.

"Now princess, this is very simple. You know what I want. Just tell me where the girl is. I know she's here in this time. Your mother would have sent her here to be reborn just like the rest of you. I have felt her energy."

Serena choked out, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Talon squeezed her neck tighter, making her gasp in pain. "Of course you do Serenity. Does the name Melody Rose mean anything to you?"

There was a collective gasp from the others, causing Talon to look at them. "So you all know something about this. Tell me now, before I splatter your princess all over the ground below."

In a bright flash of light, the crescent moon symbol appeared on Serena's forehead as she transformed into Serenity. This caused not only Darien to take his royal form, but also triggered the scout's transformations as well.

Serenity opened her eyes and spoke. "You'll never find her. I don't even know where she is. To keep her safe, her location has been kept from even me. The power of the two bloodlines will never be in your hands."

Talon snarled. "We'll just see about that."

He stepped toward the railing and was preparing to toss her over when suddenly he was hit by sphere of blue energy. The impact caused him to loose his hold on Serenity and she crumpled to the floor of the balcony where she turned back into an unconscious Serena.

Talon lifted into the air as he looked around for the source of the attack. Darien quickly ran over and picked Serena up as everyone else also searched for the attacker.

"This isn't over. I will have that child in my possession. The absolute power will be mine." Talon growled as he disappeared.

"Look, over there." Amy said pointing toward the roof of the next building. They could all she a shadowy figure running away. From what they could tell, the person seemed to be wearing a fuku.

"Who is that?" Raye asked.

"One of the Outer's perhaps?" questioned Mina.

Lita shook her head. "It didn't look like any of them. And anyway, they would have stuck around instead of taking off like that."

They all went back inside where Darien laid Serena on the couch. Andrew appeared with a wet cloth that he handed to his friend. "What the hell was that all about?"

"I'm not sure exactly." Darien answered as he laid the cloth on Serena's forehead. "Where's Jess? She didn't see any of it did she?"

Shaking his head Andrew said, "No, she's in the bathroom. Good thing too. I hate to think about how she would have reacted to that little scene."

A low moan came from Serena as she opened her eyes. She stared up at all of them before shooting up into a sitting position. "What happened? Where did he go?"

Darien placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, he's gone. What about you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just want to know why some crazy psycho from my nightmare is here. All I remember is him trying to choke me to death and asking me about a little girl. I blacked out after that."

Jess appeared in the doorway, halting the conversation. She looked a little pale. "Andrew, do you mind taking me home? I have a huge headache. I want to get home and rest."

Andrew walked toward her saying, "Yeah, sure. Let's go."

She smiled weakly at the rest of them. "Thanks for inviting me. I had a really great time. I just hate that one of my migraines had to intrude."

Serena got up and went over to the other girl. She put an arm around her and gave her a light squeeze. "I'm glad you came. We'll see each other later."

Everybody said their goodbyes and Andrew and Jess left. Kunzite turned to everyone and said, "I don't know about you guys, but it's been a long day. I say we turn in and talk about all of this tomorrow."

They all agreed. The scouts were all staying the night here with the generals. Jadeite asked Darien if he and Serena wanted to stay too, but Serena shook her head. "I think we'll go back to Darien's."

Mina stepped forward. "As the leader of you guard, I don't think that is a good idea." The other scouts nodded their heads in agreement.

The generals made noises of agreement as well. "I really think the two of you should stay. How can we do our job of protecting you if we're not around?" Kunzite spoke as the leader of the generals.

Serena let out a pent up breath. "Oh for crying out loud. I am not going to start living under a rock just because there's a new bad guy floating around trying to strangle me to death or drop me off of balconies. I'm not entirely helpless you know, and I won't be alone. I don't think that this guy will show back up tonight, but if he does I'm sure Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask can show him a thing or two."

Darien put his arm around her shoulders. "We'll be fine. We're just across the park. If anything happens, we'll contact you."

Serena turned to look sternly at her scouts. "And I mean it. No following us. If I look out the window and see the first hint of a sailor scout watching the place I'll…"

"Okay, okay. We get the hint." Raye said, walking over to her friend and hugged her. "You guys just be careful, okay."

The other girls walked over and they all embraced their princess as they said their goodnights.

Soon Serena and Darien were walking through the park again on their way to his apartment. So much had happened tonight that it seemed like days had passed instead of only hours since Darien had proposed to her here.

Serena looked down at her new ring and sighed. "Not exactly how I planned for the night to go."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. That was not the type of action I was hoping to see tonight." he replied with a smirk on his face.

Serena turned to him with a look of mock innocence on her face. She couldn't hide the amused expression in her eyes. "Why Mr. Shields, whatever do you mean by that?"

Darien let out a low growl as he picked her up and twirled her around. Serena suddenly found herself pinned between a tree at her back and six foot two inches of solid, hard, male muscle against her front. She shuddered delightedly as Darien leaned down to breathe against her ear before nibbling on her sensitive lobe.

"Does that answer your question, Future Mrs. Shields?" he asked evilly as he continued to make his way down to her neck, laying soft butterfly kisses in a trail that had Serena already gasping for breath.

Serena let out a shaky sigh. "Oh, I think I'm getting the general picture. I've just got one question for you."

"Hmm…" he mumbled as he began sucking on the tender skin at her collarbone.

She put her hands through his hair and pulled him back slightly so she could look into his dark, beautiful eyes. "When are you going to get me home so you can do the job right?"

Darien chuckled as he scooped her up into his arms bridal style. He crushed her lips to his in a brief, but passionate kiss. He transformed into Tuxedo Mask and told her, "Hold on tight. I'll have us there before you can blink."

Giggling softly, Serena wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as he took off into the night, taking shortcuts across the roofs of buildings in his haste to get to his apartment.

**A/N** Finally got them out of high school. Now they can spend more time in the bedroom…oops…I mean finding out about this new baddie and Melody. A lot of info is coming up in the next chapters. I'll see you guys when I get back in town. And remember, reviews make me happy!!! Later!!!

Sere-chan

/


	8. Shop 'til You Drop

**A/N** Hey everyone. I'm back in town and I am thrilled by the feedback you guys gave me while I was gone. It's been the pits being stuck with no internet all week, but the anticipation made it all worthwhile when I saw all the reviews and hits this little story of mine had gotten. Thank you to all of you. Please continue to review, it really helps me. Okay shout out time. {BIG HUGS} to:

**KageNoNeko**

**xo Usako ox**

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

**snoopykid**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**Jmackarla**

**MissMyrtlemay**

**forlornromanticist**

**amaramichelle**

**silvermermaidprincesskerry**

Thanks guys, you're the best! I hope this chapter continues to entertain you. So no more delay. Here's Chapter 8.

**ENJOY!!!**

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 8

Shop 'til You Drop

Serena scrunched her face up as she was pulled out of a sound sleep. She lay there with her eyes closed, reveling in the feel of cool silk against her skin. It was too cool. She began scooting toward the other side of the bed, searching for a source of warmth that should be there, a warmth that was missing. She opened her eyes to find that she was alone in the large, king size bed. She sat up to look around the room.

This was a room that she knew as well as her own room at home. But where her room was light and airy, this room was dark with a purely masculine feel to it. The walls were painted a deep, blood red. All the furniture was black, even the silk bed sheets she was sitting on were black. It could be a depressing room to some people, with heavy black curtains covering the windows and blocking all the light. But to Serena, it just seemed to fit the man that this room belonged to.

She heard the shower running in the adjoining bathroom. Well, that solved the mystery of why she woke up in a cold bed. With a mischievous smile touching her lips, she got up and crossed the room to the closed bathroom door. She eased it open and slipped inside the warm, steam filled room.

Through the foggy haze she could make out a figure behind the glass door of the shower. She tiptoed over to the door and placed her hand on the handle. Just as she was about to yank it open, the door flew open and a pair of strong, wet arms grabbed her and hauled her inside the shower and under the warm water.

She sputtered for a moment, trying to wipe away the long pieces of wet hair that were clinging to her face. She felt the arms around her waist tighten before she heard a low chuckle in her ear. "Trying to sneak up on me, huh? Not nice to try to sabotage a man during his shower."

She pulled back to look into those gorgeous sapphire eyes that were twinkling with laughter. "Well you left me all alone in that huge bed and I got cold. I figured it was only fair that you be the one to warm me back up."

"Warm you up, huh?" Darien said as he pulled up against his broad, muscular chest. "Oh I think I can do something about that." He lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss that sent her head spinning. He eased her backward until the wall was at her back. He lifted her up and she wrapped her long legs around his waist. She let out a low moan, and he took advantage of her parted lips to let his tongue enter her mouth and deepen the kiss. Her busy little hands were moving over his chest and shoulders.

This was turning into quite a shower until something broke through their passion-induced haze.

"Serena! Are you here?" the sound of Mina's voice reached them through the closed door.

"Of course she here you ditz." they heard Raye's voice next. "Don't you hear the shower running?"

Amy's voice, usually soft, could be heard clearly by the pair in the bathroom. "It may be Darien in there. It is his place after all."

Lita's laughter was heard. "Yeah but I don't see Serena anywhere either." The laughter stopped, "You guys don't think…"

Several gasps were heard.

"No…"

"Really…"

"You think…"

"Omigosh…"

Kunzite's voice then appeared. "Ladies, don't you think you could at least let people take a shower in peace?"

The voices moved away and Serena dropped her head to Darien's shoulder. "Can I just kill them and hide the bodies?" she moaned.

Darien sighed. "I really wish that I hadn't given Kunzite a spare key to this place. Some people just don't understand the meaning of personal space."

They grudgingly untangled themselves from each other and finished actually taking a shower.

After pulling on their clothes, Serena secured her damp hair in a ponytail while Darien ran a comb through his silky locks. They then left the bedroom to confront their well meaning, meddlesome friends.

Eight pairs of eyes looked up as they entered the living room. The generals all looked nonchalant while Mina, Raye, and Lita all had knowing smiles on their faces. Amy had the good grace to faintly blush before looking away.

"All right, why have we been invaded so early?" Serena asked, walking over to look for her shoes that she was sure had landed somewhere near the end table the night before. Finding them, she went over to sit by Lita on the couch.

Raye snorted. "Early! It's after one thirty. I thought your sleeping habits had changed."

Serena shrugged off the intentional attempt at an argument. "I guess I didn't realize what time it was."

Mina snickered. "I bet. So how late did you stay up last night?"

Serena rose to that bait. "Later than you I bet. I swear, the way you were carrying on I was just glad that there wasn't a swimming pool nearby. I sure didn't want to have to dive in to save your ass like I did at the New Year's party when you decided to take a swim in Michelle's pool."

Mina glared back. "At least I knew where all my clothes were when I woke up this morning. Missing anything?" She pulled a pink satin bra with black lace trim from behind her. "You should really learn to pick up after yourself. This was just laying on the floor when we walked in."

Serena launched herself across the coffee table at the giggling blonde. Snatching the bra from her hands. "At least I don't go barging into people's places unannounced."

Lita spoke up, "Hey in our defense, we did try to call. Neither one of you were answering your phones, so we thought we better check."

"Ever hear of knocking first?" Serena retorted.

Amy quietly said, "We did. Nobody answered, so we figured you weren't here. We just thought we'd check and make sure everything was okay first."

"Yeah." Raye interjected. "How were we to know that you were _both_ in the shower?"

Serena blushed a little at that implication and said, "Whatever. I'm heading to the arcade. I've got to get some caffeine and food action going on."

They all laughed as they heard her stomach growl loudly. So they all decided to go and have lunch while they discussed the events of last night.

Luckily, Darien's apartment was only a few blocks from the Crown. So it was only a few minutes later that they were walking through the sliding glass doors.

The place was pretty dead for a Sunday afternoon. There were some kids in the back spending their allowance on video games, but the front was almost deserted. They all made their way to the large booth in the corner that would accommodate their group.

"Hey guys. What's up?" Andrew asked, walking up to their table to see if anyone wanted anything.

Serena gave an exaggerated sigh. "Oh Andrew, my savior. I am seriously running low on energy today. Do you think could get me a…"

"A mocha latte. Double the mocha. Four shots of espresso, with extra whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles." Andrew interrupted her with a grin.

Everyone else shook their heads. "What?" Serena exclaimed. "I'll have you know that is what got me through high school, thank you very much. And considering I came in third in the class, it must have done the trick."

They all laughed and placed their orders with Andrew, who left to give their food orders to the kitchen and to get their drinks. After a few minutes of good-natured bantering, the atmosphere turned serious.

"So what was the deal with the freaky floating dude last night?" Mina asked, finally broaching the subject.

Serena shuddered. "I wish I knew. Up until now, I've only seen him in my dreams. It would seem he's after some poor kid from the Silver Millennium."

Raye scoffed, "Yeah, you convinced us of that last night when you decided to put on your little light show and break out the princess form."

Serena looked startled. "What?"

"You turned into Serenity and started talking about how the child was hidden from even you and that he would never get the power of the two bloodlines." Lita said, jumping into the conversation.

Serena was definitely looking confused now. "All I remember is him trying to choke me to death and asking me where the child was. After that I passed out and woke up on the couch."

"Maybe you weren't in control." Amy spoke up. "Didn't you say in your dream Serenity took over your body?"

Serena nodded. "Yeah, but I still knew what was going on. I was still there, but kind of on the sidelines." she thought for a moment. "You know, Luna said something about repressed memories trying to come through. I know none of us have all of our memories of the past, but what I have seen in my dreams is completely different from what I have always remembered."

Everyone was silent for minute, thinking back over the few memories they had of their past existence. The moment was broken when Andrew returned with their drinks.

"So Andrew" Mina grinned slyly. "Did you get Jess home all right last night?"

Andrew turned a droll look on her. "Yes I did. I _am_ quite capable of escorting a lady home after a date. And if you're fishing for any more information, you can forget it, Mina."

Raye said innocently, "We aren't questioning your abilities, Andrew. But we were just worried about you maybe being a little out of practice. Two years without dating is a long time."

"Yeah. Wouldn't want the poor girl to be disappointed if you didn't live up to her expectations." Lita interjected.

Andrew's face was turning red. Not from embarrassment as was his usual custom, but from anger. He was not the type of guy who lost his temper easily, but when he did, he was a force to be reckoned with. Darien knew the signs well, having been witness to a few times when his best friend had blown his stack. He figured he better calm him down before somebody got hurt.

Standing, Darien put a calming hand on his friend's shoulder. "Chill Drew. They are just joking. Right?" he looked pointedly at the troublemakers.

"Of course we are. Sorry." the three girls said together.

"I was more concerned about her health." Amy stated.

Serena pulled herself away from her coffee. "Yeah, she definitely didn't look like she felt too hot when you guys left last night."

Andrew sighed. "She definitely wasn't her usual perky self. She said that she gets migraines sometimes, but she seemed okay when I dropped her off at her place."

Some customers came in and went to the counter, so Andrew went to wait on them as the rest of them continued to talk amongst themselves. Hardly anybody noticed when the doors opened again and a girl entered.

A movement caught Serena's eye as she saw someone walk up to the table across from theirs and throw a beat up dark blue backpack onto the seat before sliding in. She did a double take as she realized who it was.

"Jess?" she asked uncertainly.

The girl at the table raised her head from where she had just laid it down and looked around. Her dark caramel blonde hair was in disarray and she had dark sunglasses covering her eyes.

"Oh hey Serena. Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. How are you today?" Jess said in a faint, tired sounding voice.

Serena took in the other girl's pale features before saying, "I'm fine, but are you okay? You really look wiped out."

Jess waved her off. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just getting over this migraine. I haven't had one like this in over two years."

The rest of Serena's group had been listening in. Darien and Amy, both wanting to be doctors, were instantly curious about anything health related.

"Do you have a long history with these types of headaches?" Darien asked, going into doctor mode.

Jess winced as she pulled off her sunglasses. "Yeah, since I was thirteen."

Amy jumped in, "Have you seen your doctor about them?"

Jess gave a dry laugh. "My parents drug me to every kind of doctor imaginable, and they all had the same answer. Nothing. Not one of them could find a reason for them. I thought they had gone away, but then that one hit me last night."

Andrew and Liz came over carrying trays loaded with food that they sat in front of everyone. Andrew paused when Serena grabbed his wrist and pointed behind him. He looked over his shoulder and saw Jess, who had just pulled a book from her backpack and was lethargically flipping through it.

Andrew was at her side instantly. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

She conjured a weak smile for him. "Better than I was. The worst of it's gone. I just have a little of it lingering. I'm more tired out from it than anything."

"Maybe you should be at home resting." Andrew worried.

"Nah, I'm okay. I've really got to get some studying done. But I would love one of your cherry cokes." she turned pleading eyes on him.

"Sure thing. Be right back." Andrew took off toward the soda fountain. He returned a few minutes later and sat a glass in front of her.

She took a long appreciative sip. "Mmm, thanks Drew. I think this was just what the doctor ordered."

He blushed lightly. "Well, I still got about an hour left on my shift. I'll be back by to see if you need anything."

The group at the other table had witnessed all of this. "Isn't that sweet?" Mina whispered to the others.

The rest of them silently agreed, but didn't want to encourage Mina, who had a slight problem with meddling in other people's relationships. So they turned their conversation to safer topics.

An hour later, they were all still sitting there, talking and laughing. Serena had gotten up to go play that round of Sailor V that she had been promising herself for weeks, laughing as she realized how out of practice she was when she didn't make it past level two.

Jess was still sitting across from them, joining in the conversation occasionally. She had pulled out her laptop and was busy typing away on it when Andrew joined the group.

"Ah, finally done. Mind if I take a seat?" he asked Jess, who nodded her agreement and scooted over so he could sit beside her. A few minutes later she finished typing and closed her laptop with a sigh.

"There, finished. I must have been out of my mind to take summer classes. I could have just waited until fall, but I wanted to get a head start." she said as she slid her stuff into her backpack.

"So what are we going to do with the rest of our day?" Serena asked, looking around at the group.

"The mall!" all the girls chorused while the guys groaned.

"You want to come with us?" Serena asked Jess enthusiastically.

"Sure." Jess replied, looking brighter than she had all day.

Andrew looked worried. "Are you sure? I'm sure this could be a marathon. I thought you were tired."

Jess laughed. "I'm feeling much better. I never say no to shopping. You're coming too, aren't you Drew?" she said this with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Well…" Andrew began.

Darien chuckled. "Come on, man. You can hang with us while the ladies shop til they drop."

"The problem is, they never drop…Ouch!" Jadeite rubbed his ribs where Raye had just elbowed him.

So with their plans settled, they all made their way out of the arcade.

* * *

A few hours later, the guys were sitting on benches around a fountain in the middle of the mall surrounded by shopping bags.

"How much longer can they last?" Nephrite grumbled.

"I don't know." Jadeite groaned from beside him. "I think they have hit every store in this mall."

Zoicite raised his head wearily. "They have. Now they're going back into stores that they have already been into."

"I guess this is what we get for coming to the mall with the sailor scouts. They have more energy than ordinary girls." Kunzite lamented.

Darien agreed. "I forgot how many hours Serena could spend in this place."

Andrew shook his head. "I think it's just a woman thing. Jess is still hanging with them."

"True" they all agreed, pondering what it was about the female psyche that made them crave shopping so much.

At that moment the six girls in question came walking out of the boutique that had been their recent target. Each one of them held a bag in their hands that held their newest purchases. Making their way over to the men, they added the bags to the growing pile.

"I think we're done." Serena said as she sat down in the empty spot next to Darien.

All of the guys let out a relieved breath.

"Then how about we go find someplace to grab some dinner?" Darien said.

That brought a round of approval from everyone.

A beeping sound came from Serena's pocket. She looked at the group quickly before walking away and pulling her communicator out and answering it. Luna's face filled up the screen.

"Serena, are you still at the mall?" the feline asked.

"Yes Luna. Why?" Serena asked her guardian.

Luna's eyes grew wide. "Artemis and I have gotten reports that said that a youma is in the mall, be on alert."

Serena looked around, scanning the crowd quickly. "Right. We'll check it out." Flipping the communicator closed, she made her way back to the others.

"Uh, that was my mom. I forgot that I promised I'd help her do something today. I need to get home I guess. How about we all do dinner another night?" Serena said to the group, trying to convey a hidden message with her eyes.

"_What's going on?'_ she heard Darien ask her in her mind.

She responded, _"Luna said that there's a youma here. We need to get Andrew to get Jess out of here."_

Darien reached down to pick up Serena's bags. "Yeah, we'll all meet up another night. I'll give you a ride home Serena." He leveled a look on Andrew and saw by the look on his friend's face that he comprehended what was going on.

Andrew picked up Jess's bags. "Need a ride?" he asked casually.

"Yeah, that would be great. See you guys later." She answered as she took half of the bags before following Andrew toward the exit.

As they walked away, the others turned to Serena and Darien.

"What's up?" they all asked simultaneously.

"A youma is here somewhere." Serena said. About that time an energy wave rocketed through the building, causing them all to stagger. Looking around frantically, they found an empty side hall where they could transform.

A minute later the Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, and the Earth Generals stepped out into the mall. It was complete pandemonium. People were running everywhere, making mad dashes for the exits to escape whatever was terrorizing the mall.

One guy skidded to a stop when he saw the heroes of Tokyo. "Am I glad to see you guys. There's some freaky looking monster tearing up the food court."

The ten of them took off toward the food court. As they drew nearer they could hear sounds of people screaming and loud crashes.

They ran into the large open eating area where tables and chairs had been thrown around. A few of the businesses looked like they had been bombed. Unconscious people lay all around.

A large beast-like youma standing at least fifteen feet tall was in the center of the space. It was covered in shaggy brown fur and had large claws. And it was currently looming over a young woman who was huddled over a stroller. A baby's cries could be heard along with the growls that were issuing from the beast.

Without breaking stride, the scouts leapt into action.

"Fire Soul" Mars called out.

Venus combined her attack with Mars. "Crescent Beam"

The attack did little damage, but did succeed in knocking the monster away from the mother and child. Kunzite and Nephrite were at her side in an instant and bundled them away from the battle scene.

The youma let out a howl as it turned to focus on the intruders. Its beady eyes were black as pitch as it snarled at them. It picked up a table and threw it at them, scattering the group as they broke apart to avoid the impact.

Mercury had her computer out, typing furiously. "I think the best way to beat it is to split up and attack it from all sides. Then Sailor Moon should have time to take it out." she called to the others.

The scouts moved to make a circle around the youma, the generals by their sides to cover them while they powered up.

"Ready?" Tuxedo Mask asked from beside Sailor Moon as she pulled out her moon tier.

She smiled at him. "As I'll ever be."

Everyone got into position and began their attack.

"Flame Sniper"

"Love and Beauty Shock"

"Oak Evolution"

"Aqua Rhapsody"

Sailor Moon took her stance and wielded her tier. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss"

The youma gave one last howl as it crumbled into dust.

They all let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness that's over." Sailor Moon said.

An evil laugh rang out. "My dear Serenity. You didn't honestly think that was it, did you?"

They all turned as Talon appeared along with the humanoid youma from the playground attack. He pulled back the hood of his cloak to reveal a man who looked to be in his mid twenties, with dark brown hair and eyes of deepest onyx black. He might have been handsome if not for a jagged scar that ran down one side of his face. It started from the hairline and traveled down, barely missing the eye and causing one side of his mouth to twist up in a permanently creepy smirk.

He sneered at them. "That was just an attention getter. I wasn't sure if you would come out to play if I asked nicely, so I took out a little insurance to ensure your cooperation."

They all stared in disbelief. Tuxedo Mask let out a low growl as he stared down the man in front of them.

"Ah…" Talon stroked a finger down his scarred face, "Enjoying your handiwork Endymion? Do you remember the day you gave me this scar?"

Darien froze as a memory he had never had before flashed through his mind. Talon was standing on the balcony outside Serenity's room, holding a struggling little girl in his arms while laughing at Serenity, who was sprawled out on the floor of the balcony. He saw himself lunging at Talon while unsheathing his sword. Taking him unaware, he snatched the girl from Talon's arms and swung his sword at the snarling man, slashing him across the face.

"Darien?" he heard Serena's voice calling to him. Shaking his head, he turned to her. She had her hand on his arm and was looking at him with worry.

'_What was that about? I felt a strange vibe from you just then.'_ she asked through their link.

He replied back silently. _'I'm not sure. We'll talk about it later.'_

They turned their attention back to Talon, who was watching them with amusement. "So, you do remember Endymion. Rest assured, I will be getting my revenge for that."

"I've heard enough of this shit." Jupiter ground out as she jumped to the front of the group. "You wanna fight, then let's go. Sparkling Wide Pressure." she shot lightening bolts at Talon.

He disappeared, only to reappear above them. "Kill them all." he told his humanoid youma.

The youma let out an energy wave similar to what they had experienced at the park the other day. They once again found themselves blown off their feet.

The youma held its hands in front of it, gathering dark energy in preparation to blast them when voices were heard calling out.

"World Shaking"

"Deep Submerge"

"Dead Scream"

Three sphere shaped blasts in yellow, aqua, and fuchsia hit the youma and he disintegrated.

Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto jumped down from the second floor railing where they had launched their attacks. They landed in front of the others, who were climbing back to their feet.

"So we have the Outer Scouts here too. What a cozy little reunion." Talon looked at the spot where his youma had recently stood. He sighed and said, "I guess if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."

All of the scouts, Tuxedo Mask, and the generals found themselves enclosed in a ball of dark energy. The energy sent out currents that ripped through their bodies like electricity. They all screamed out at the unbearable pain.

Sailor Moon clutched Tuxedo Mask's hand tightly as she felt like her body was being slowly torn into small bits. '_I guess this is it. I couldn't use the crystal even if I tried. I'm sorry everyone. I wanted to keep all of you safe and I failed.'_ These were the thoughts going through her mind as Talon's maniacal laughter echoed in her head.

"Silence Wall"

The energy surrounding them disappeared and they all fell to the floor, exhausted and in pain.

Talon's eyes widened as he was confronted with two pint sized sailor scouts that were now standing between him and the ones he was about to kill.

"Sailor Saturn I presume. So you've been awakened in this era. How unexpected. But not a problem." He blasted her before she had time to react and turned to the other smaller scout. "And who might you be?"

Sailor Moon was slowly fighting against the haze of pain that still shrouding her. She felt the hard floor under her and could hear the moans from her companions close by. _"What happened?'_ she asked herself.

She became more oriented and cracked open her eyes. Tuxedo Mask was lying next to her, her hand still held secure in his. He was gasping for breath as he also tried to recover from the attack. She was attempting to raise her head when she heard, "I'm Sailor Crescent Moon you jerk. How dare you attack my friends like that?"

Sailor Moon fought against her protesting body, struggling to try to get up. Beside her Tuxedo Mask was doing the same. She looked around, trying to focus her eyes, when she saw a sight that almost made her heart stop.

There was her young future daughter standing up alone in front of Talon with a defiant look on her face.

'_Oh no, no, no…Rini get away from him.'_ Serena panicked.

Darien was thinking the same thing. The visions of Talon with that little girl were still fresh in his head. _'If that bastard touches her…'_

Crescent Moon pulled out her wand. "Time to kick your ass. Moonlight Serenade!" She released the attack.

Talon skillfully dodged it. "Not bad for a little kid, but let's see what you've really got." He began closing in on her quickly.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask were struggling frantically to try to get to their feet. Sailor Moon's breath caught in her throat at the sight of Crescent Moon being frozen in place with a look of absolute terror on her face.

She screamed, "Leave her alone you son of a bitch!"

A flash of power left the Silver Crystal at the same time a similar flash came from Crescent Moon's Pink Moon Crystal. The two shocks of energy knocked Talon back several feet before he flew up to hover over them. His eyes flew back and forth between Sailor Moon and Crescent Moon in confusion. He watched as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask slowly made their way toward the small scout and pulled her toward them.

Comprehension dawned on him and an evil grin appeared on his face. "Oh, this is priceless. I don't know how it's possible, how you can have a teenage daughter, but this is amazing."

"She's not my daughter." Sailor Moon lied, not wanting him to have a reason to target Rini.

Talon laughed. "You can't fool me Serenity. That little brat's crystal was born from your Silver Crystal. The only way that could happen is if she were your daughter. I felt that power just now and they were the same."

The other scouts and generals had also made it to their feet, and began closing in around the royal family.

"Oh well." Talon sighed dramatically. "As much as I would love to continue this conversation, I have work to do and you are all in my way."

He was preparing to attack them when he was hit from behind by a blast of dark blue energy. It knocked him to the floor where he lay stunned for a moment.

Everyone else looked in direction of where the blast came from. High up near the ceiling was a shadowy figure standing on a beam. None of the person's features could be seen, but it was clearly the outline of a woman in a sailor fuku.

Talon pulled himself up with a groan. "Not another one. Just who the hell are you?"

The mystery sailor scout's voice reached down to them. "I am the guardian of the one you seek. Know this Talon, Melody Rose is well protected and hidden. There is no way that the power you are after will ever fall into your hands."

"We'll see about that." Talon said as he disappeared.

The unknown scout made to leave. "Wait!" Sailor Moon called. "Who are you exactly?"

The ghostly voice spoke again "I am the sailor scout of the shadows. I was entrusted with the mission of protecting the child born of the two bloodlines by Her Majesty Queen Serenity."

Mercury spoke up, "I don't see there is so much secrecy about this girl. I mean, it's true that in the Silver Millennium that personal relationships between Lunarians and Terrans were frowned upon, but what is so special about this child?"

The shadow scout replied, "Deep inside Melody Rose is a power, not an evil power, but a power that in the wrong hands could destroy this entire galaxy in the blink of an eye. If someone was to use this power for an evil purpose, nothing could stop it. Not even the Silver Crystal."

They all silently contemplated this information for a moment. A power greater than the Silver Crystal was unheard of, and the thought of that kind of power being in the hands of a child was scary.

"I must go now Princess Serenity. I'm sure we'll meet again." With that, the shadow scout melted into the darkness and out of sight.

"I don't trust her." Uranus said

Neptune scoffed. "You never trust anyone."

"Well really, this chick just shows up out of nowhere and claims that Queen Serenity gave her this all important job. Think about it. She could be working with that freaky scar face or after this so called awesome power for herself." Uranus protested.

"I trust her." Sailor Moon said softly. "I don't know why, but I think she was telling the truth. She seemed familiar somehow."

"No offense Moon, but you are too trusting sometimes." Mars said, laying a hand on her friend's shoulder.

During this discussion, Crescent Moon had made her way over to Pluto. There was a lull in the conversation when she asked, "Puu…was that really her?"

Pluto looked down at the pink haired princess and smiled. "Yes it was, Small Lady. I'm sure we'll be seeing her again soon."

"You guys know who she is?" Sailor Moon asked them.

Crescent Moon looked down at the ground and stammered, "Y…Yes…but…"

Pluto stepped forward. "Yes. Small Lady and I are both aware of who this shadow scout is. But you must understand that to preserve the timeline, we are unable to say anything. All will be revealed when the time is right. Just know that you can trust her."

They all agreed and then separated to find a place to detransform. They blended in with the people that were still wandering around the mall in shock and met back up at the fountain where they had left their bags. Gathering their belongings, they exited the mall as the first police cars were entering the parking lot.

They all walked toward where they had left their cars. When they got close, they found Andrew leaning up against Darien's car waiting for them. He smiled when he saw them all together and in one piece.

"How bad was it?" he asked as he noticed some them moving a little stiffly.

Darien answered, "Bad. That guy from the other night showed up and about fried us all. But we had some unexpected help."

They quickly filled him in about what had happened during and after the battle. He shook his head when they told him about the new sailor scout. "No idea who she is, huh?"

"Not a clue?" Serena said. "It seems like every time we find an answer, we end up with a hundred more questions."

A voice came from behind them. "Maybe it's time to answer some of those questions." a young man stepped out from behind a nearby tree.

"Helios!" Rini shrieked as she ran to him and tackled him in a bear hug.

He laughed as he returned the hug. "Hello my maiden. You didn't miss me did you?"

Rini pouted. "You know I did. It seems like forever since I saw you last, at least in person anyway. Dreams aren't exactly the same."

Helios ruffled Rini's hair affectionately. "It's only been two weeks since I visited you in Crystal Tokyo."

"Yeah, a long two weeks." Rini grumbled.

Several giggles reminded them that they had an audience and they turned back to face the group that had been watching their reunion.

"So what brings you here Helios, other than an overwhelming urge to see my future daughter?" Serena asked with a knowing smile.

Helios flushed a little at that question, but quickly composed himself. "I have come because I know you have some questions that you can't figure out the answers to and memories that you can't explain. I'm offering you a chance to get back your true memories of your past lives, and with that hopefully it will answer some of the questions you have."

They all stood silent and wide-eyed at that statement, not knowing what to think.

"All of them?" Darien asked quietly.

Helios nodded. "Yes my prince. That means that if you choose to do so, you will get the good memories along with the bad. Anyone that wants to do this should meet me at the Cherry Hill temple at midnight. This gives you some time to decide."

They all agreed to think about it and left a short while later, going their separate ways in order to make what was a life altering decision.

**A/N** Oh boy! Some secrets are about to come out now. Don't forget to review and check out the poll on my profile page. Jess is still unanimously beating Rita, so I guess everyone is liking her. Well until next time. Later!

Sere-chan


	9. A Story of the Past and Rebellious Teena

**A/N** Okay guys, here we are at Chapter 9. I hope this lives up to everyone's expectations. I stayed up until 3am editing this so I would have it ready to post today. Oh yeah, I also posted a trailer for this story on youtube. Either go to my page CelticPrincess827 or just do a search for Lunar Princess of the Earth, that should get it. Also Jess is still beating Rita in my poll, so if you haven't voted yet, go to my profile and tell me who you want to see Andrew with. Remember to keep me inspired, reviews are very much appreciated. Alright, shout out time for my reviewers. Big thank you's to:

**KageNoNeko**

**xo Usako ox**

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

**snoopykid**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**JmacKarla**

**srsmoon**

**MissMyrtlemay**

**forlornromanticist**

You guys rock as always. Okay, enough babbling. On with the story.

_**Enjoy!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 9

A Story of the Past and Rebellious Teenagers

Serena was standing on the bridge that spanned the pond in the park looking down at the water. The light of the full moon was reflecting off the surface making the whole area almost surreal looking.

Serena paid little attention to any of her surroundings as she stared down into the gently rippling silver water. She was struggling with the questions inside her head. She had known for over four years now that she was the reincarnated moon princess. She had some memories of that past life, some of them were wonderful, and some of them were gruesome.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to have all of Serenity's memories inside her head. She was afraid that if she had those memories, she would change. Become more Serenity than Serena. She was happy with who she was. She knew some of her future. That one day she would become Neo Queen Serenity and rule over Crystal Tokyo with her husband, King Endymion at her side. But did she need Serenity's memories to do that?

All these questions were almost overwhelming to her as she sighed. She knew that everyone else was asking themselves the same thing right now. Because of her link with Darien, she had been following his moods the last few hours. He had been pretty much on the same emotional roller coaster that she was on. One minute feeling a calm acceptance, the next feeling scared to death.

She glanced at her watch. She had an hour left to decide which route she wanted to go. She could either go home and crawl into bed, or go up to Cherry Hill and face the unknown.

She turned away from looking at the water and looked to the moon. It looked like a creamy pearl floating in the sky. It seemed to calm her and she closed her eyes to let it's silver light soothe her troubled spirit.

In a sudden burst of insight, she had her answer. She was Serena, but Serenity had always been right there with her, even before she knew about her past on the moon. Having the memories of the past might be a little intense, but she would still be herself, because when it came down to it, she and Serenity were one and the same.

Opening her eyes, she embraced her decision and knew it was the right one to make for her. She wondered if any of the others would make the same decision. They had all decided that everyone would be alone to make this choice. That way it would be made completely on their own without any influence from anyone else.

She looked at her watch again and saw that more time than she thought had passed. She would need to hurry to get to Cherry Hill on time.

* * *

Darien was sitting in a chair on the balcony outside his apartment. His head was back and his eyes were closed. He inhaled deeply and breathed in the scent of the roses that he had growing in several pots scattered around.

His decision was made. He had thought long and hard about this. Had weighed the pros and cons. Sometimes he felt a little resentful that it always seemed that his past life had such a huge impact on his present one. He may have been a prince that was destined to rule the Earth a thousand years ago, but he was happy in his life now too. Even if he never became King Endymion and ruled Crystal Tokyo, he was content with hopefully marrying the woman of his dreams and becoming a good doctor.

On the other hand, he was Tuxedo Mask. He was glad to be a protector of Earth and fight at Sailor Moon's side. This new enemy obviously knew more about the events of the past than they did, so it could put them on more equal footing to have Endymion's memories of the Silver Millennium.

After hours of debating with himself, he knew which path was the one he was going to take. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost time for those who wanted to get their past memories back to meet Helios.

Firm in his decision, he stood and walked into his apartment and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Serena slowed her pace as the steps leading up to the temple came into view. She was panting slightly, having run part of the distance there. She took a moment to draw in several deep breaths and compose herself before climbing the long staircase. As she neared the top, she began to hear voices.

When the temple came into sight, she paused at the number of people that were there. Helios was under a tree talking to Rini, Trista, and Hotaru. Amara and Michelle were a slight distance away speaking quietly with each other. Raye, Mina, Lita, and Amy were sitting with Jadeite, Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoicite on the porch that surrounded the temple.

She filled with happiness at the sight of all of her friends. She had never thought that they would all decide to go this route. Now no matter what the past held, they would still be a united team.

She looked around for the one face that she hadn't seen. She figured he was off in a remote spot somewhere. He had a tendency to withdraw from people when he had a lot on his mind. She searched all the shadowy corners of the courtyard, but didn't see him anywhere. She shook it off. _'Maybe he's inside.'_ she thought.

She walked across to them, and they all turned to look at her. She could see their eyes light up as they realized that the princess had made the same decision they had. A few people looked over her shoulder, as if looking for someone. She started to feel a little apprehensive.

"Is he here?" she asked Raye quietly.

Raye turned wide eyes on her friend and shook her head slightly. "No" she whispered.

Serena felt tears threaten to fill her eyes, but fought them back. She took a deep breath and gave a weak smile to her friends. "It is his decision to make. I stand by it, no matter what he decides."

A dark figure swooped down from a tree branch and landed behind her. Before anyone could react, Serena found herself in a tight embrace. Startled, she felt herself wrapped in cocoon of warmth. A warmth that smelled like roses, chocolate, and coffee. She looked up at the face that had a familiar white mask hiding the top half of his face.

The chest that was under her splayed hands shook slightly as he chuckled. "So if I turn around and go home now, will you still love me in the morning?"

She reached up and pulled the mask away so she could look into his deep blue eyes. "I don't know. As much as I love you, I may have to kick your ass for scaring about ten years off my life just now."

He laughed as he pulled her close and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. Serena saw a flash of light through her closed eyelids, and when she pulled back a few seconds later she saw that Darien had let go his transformation and now stood in front of her dressed in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt.

Helios cleared his throat. "So I'm assuming that you have all decided to receive the memories of your past lives. Remember what I said before. If you do this, you will get all the memories, the good and the bad. Once this is done, it can't be changed back."

Serena looked around at her friends as they all nodded with acceptance, then she stepped forward with Darien at her side. "We're ready to do this. I can't help but think that this could give us insight into exactly what Talon is after and help us in this fight."

Helios surveyed them all. "All right then. I am going to transport us to Elysian for this. Rini, Trista, and Hotaru are coming along, but since Trista guards the time gates and Rini, of course, was not there and Hotaru wasn't awake in that time, they have nothing to remember and are coming for support. Everyone gather in a circle around me."

They all did as he asked, and when they had formed a circle, they all clasped hands. There was a bright flash of light, and when it died, they found themselves standing in a magnificent flower garden.

They all looked around in awe at the beauty surrounding them. There was every flower imaginable there, and a short distance away there was a grove of different fruit trees. The air was scented with the fragrance of all the blossoms. In the distance was a great golden palace, shining softly in the moonlight.

"Follow me please." Helios told them as he began walking down one of the wide paths that led through the garden toward the palace. When they reached a large open area surrounded by roses and a fountain in the middle, he motioned for all of them to take a seat on the benches that were situated there.

He remained standing, pacing in front of them nervously. After a few minutes of watching this, Rini got up and walked toward him. As he passed by her she grabbed his hand and pulled him to a stop. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Helios gave her a smile and turned his attention back to everyone else.

He took a deep breath and began speaking. "There are a few things that I need to explain first. When Queen Serenity sent you all to the future, she used her Silver Crystal to alter your memories some in order to try to give you the best lives she could. The things you do remember are real, but there were some things that she thought might be best to be forgotten and sealed them away."

Serena opened her mouth to speak, but Helios cut her off. "Please princess, let me finish. The Queen did this to try to protect all of you from events that she thought would serve no purpose in this life. But now that Talon has resurfaced, it seems that these facts are needed in order to defeat him.'

After a few moments of silence Darien spoke. "Exactly what has been kept from us?"

With a great sigh Helios responded, "Princess Serenity, how old were you when the moon kingdom fell?"

Serena furrowed her brow in thought. "I was sixteen. I was old enough to marry and I wanted to marry Endymion. My mother and the king and queen of Earth were for the marriage, but there was a group of rebels led by Beryl that were stirring up trouble between the Moon and the Earth, so the marriage was put on hold."

Helios nodded."Yes that is when your memories stop. But princess, the Silver Millennium didn't fall until you were twenty-two

Serena looked confused. "So are you telling me that there are six years of my former life that I have no knowledge of?"

"Yes, in a way." Helios responded. "I know you remember some of the events of the day of the final battle of the moon kingdom, but they are not exactly as you remember them, and you were a little older when they happened. But there are several events that you don't recall."

"Such as?" Darien asked.

Helios closed his eyes for a moment before gesturing for them to follow him again. They followed him as he led them around they fountain to the other side. Standing there was a statue of a small girl. It stood with the little girl's arms open wide with one hand outstretched where a beautifully carved butterfly lay in the palm of her hand. The workmanship on the statue was unbelievable.

Whoever had carved it had taken a smooth piece of marble and had captured every little feature of the small delicate face, from the wide smile to the big expressive eyes. Even the individual curls of her hair were defined.

Serena and Darien both studied the statue, feeling something tugging at the back of their mind that told them that they should remember this.

"Who is this a statue of Helios? Serena asked quietly, unexplained tears springing into her eyes.

Helios took a deep breath. "This is a statue of the Princess Melody Rose. Her father had it commissioned so he could look at it when he was forced to spend long periods of time away from her."

Several exclamations were heard.

"What!"

"Princess!"

"How!"

Amy spoke above the others. "We have looked at her files. Her father was an officer in the Lunarian army. Why would a statue of her be here?"

Helios raised sad eyes to them all. "Computer records can be manipulated. Let me tell you the whole story."

**_Helios's Story_**

"Here stands the likeness of the unrecognized crown princess of the Silver Millennium and the Golden Kingdom. When Princess Serenity turned sixteen, she wanted to marry Prince Endymion. But several years before the leader of a radical group on Earth had come forward with a prophecy that said any union between the Earth and the Moon could result in the destruction of the galaxy.

The actual prophecy was worded. _'When Lunar Silver and Terran Gold unite, a power greater than any ever known will be born. This will either lead to the salvation of the galaxy, or it's ultimate destruction.'_

These people were very magically gifted, so their prophecies were taken seriously when they were made. It spoke of salvation, but the thought of possible destruction scared people into believing that this meant certain doom.

Endymion and Serenity had been promised to each other practically since birth, but when news of this prophecy came out, people on both the Earth and the Moon immediately began demanding that the engagement be broken. But at the ages of eleven and eight, the young prince and princess were already very close. Queen Serenity and Queen Althea of Earth were best friends and wanted nothing more than to see their children together, but agreed to postpone any further plans for the marriage.

For the next several years the two families stayed close, but did nothing to encourage anything other than friendship between Endymion and Serenity. So imagine their surprise when at the princess's sixteenth birthday celebration the two informed their parents of their intention to wed in spite of the prophecy.

Things on Earth had been unraveling for the last few years. The old leader of the radical group had died and it had been taken over by his daughter Beryl and her on again, off again lover Talon. Beryl had set her sights on Endymion, and was jealous of the power that the moon kingdom possessed. She was raising followers to her cause, making them believe that the only way to keep the prophecy from coming true was to destroy the moon kingdom.

Well Queen Serenity and the Earth King and Queen tried to talk Serenity and Endymion out of their decision, but the two were adamant. They swore that they would run away and marry if they had to. Seeing that they were unwavering in their love and devotion, their parents offered a compromise. They could marry in secret, and maybe in a few years things would die down enough that they could go public with their relationship.

They weren't happy with the plan, but neither one of them wanted to forsake their duties to their kingdoms either. So they came here to Elysian and were married privately in this very spot by my father, who was high priest at the time.

Elysian became their private hideaway. They would sneak here whenever they could to be together. A few months after the marriage, the princess discovered that she was pregnant. Fearful for the child's life, the pregnancy was kept a secret.

When the princess got too far along in her pregnancy to hide it, a story was fabricated saying she was going on an extended trip to visit the other planets with her guardians.

The princess of Venus took on the role of being a decoy for her while Serenity came here to stay until the baby was born.

Now I know you have always been under the assumption that the crystals you carry were passed on to you by your parents. That is far from the truth. When a child is born of someone who carries a crystal, the crystal determines if the child will be a crystal carrier, and if so, a new crystal is born from the parent's crystal and taken into the child's body. In the instance that both parents are crystal carriers, only one crystal can choose the child. Take Rini for example, when she was born, the Silver Crystal chose her and her Pink Moon Crystal was born. She could use the Silver Crystal, but would never be able to use to it's full potential.

So this brings me to the day that the princess gave birth. After laboring all day, the baby was born at sunset. What happened next was unheard of. Both Serenity's Silver Crystal and Endymion's Golden Crystal chose the child and the power of both the crystals formed a new crystal that was taken into the baby, making her the most powerful crystal carrier ever born.

Knowing now what the prophecy meant, the prince and princess knew that the small princess's parentage must remain a secret. So when Serenity returned home to the moon, false records of the child's birth were constructed and the baby named Melody Rose was adopted into the Moon Castle as an orphan.

Well Serenity wasn't about to deny her daughter, so she took her in to be raised by her. Everyone that wasn't in on the secret thought that the princess had decided to adopt the girl to satisfy a maternal instinct, not knowing that she was truly Serenity's daughter.

Melody was treated as the princess she truly was. Serenity had made that perfectly clear. Melody was with her mother constantly and accompanied her everywhere, which of

course let her father stay in contact with her. Every chance they could, the three of them would come here where they didn't have to worry about keeping secrets and could just be themselves.

Now Melody was a very smart child. She knew that Serenity and Endymion were really her parents, but understood that she couldn't tell anyone about it. She was actually too smart for her own good. She was very good at slipping away from whoever was watching her and going off on her own. She scared everyone quite a few times by disappearing for hours, only to come back fine and wondering why everyone was so upset. This habit of hers was what I believe led to Talon discovering who she was.

The moon royals had come down to visit the Earth Kingdom. While the adults were all having diner, the small princess slipped away from her guard to go to the stable. A few minutes later there was a large surge of power that literally rocked the ground. Melody was found sitting on the floor of the stable crying. From what information she gave we figured out that she had gone to the stable because she wanted to see her father's horse. She mentioned something about a man in a black cloak scaring her. We assume now that it must have been Talon. She had unintentionally released her power in protection.

Several weeks later during a visit to Elysian, the prince and princess received word that the Earth Kingdom had been attacked and that the king and queen were both dead and that the army that was behind this attack was now targeting the Moon Kingdom. They left Melody here to keep her safe and immediately rushed to the moon to help protect it.

This is where the story gets blurry. As far as we can tell, Melody got away from the priestess who was watching her and made it to the portal that was used to travel to the moon kingdom from here. The events that take place after that are unknown to me. All that is known is the queen found Serenity, Endymion, and Melody all dead on the balcony outside the princess's room.

The rest of the story you know. Queen Serenity used her crystal to seal away Metallia and her followers and send all of you to a future on Earth."

**_End of Helios's Story_**

All was quiet as everyone took in the story that Helios had just told them. It was hard to believe that so much more had happened than they ever thought possible.

Darien stood in shocked silence as he loosely held a stunned Serena in his arms. It wasn't until she gave a choked sob and slid down his body to land in a crumpled heap on the ground at his feet that everyone seemed to snap out of the daze they had been in.

Darien dropped to his knees beside her and gathered her violently shaking body in his arms. She was gasping desperately for air in between the ragged sobs that tore from her throat. Tears were pouring like waterfalls from her tortured blue eyes.

Serena clung to Darien fiercely, holding handfuls of his shirt in a death grip. She buried her face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent with every harsh breath she took in. She felt his arms tighten around her and felt his breath next to her ear.

"Shh baby." he whispered to her softly. "It's okay. You need to calm down. Deep steady breaths."

The rest of their group gathered around them as Serena struggled to gain control of her body and emotions. After a few minutes, she raised her head to look into Darien's eyes.

"I can't believe it." she whispered brokenly. "I just can't believe that that angelic little girl from my dream was…" she broke off weakly.

Darien cursed at the sight of the horror and sadness that filled her agonized eyes. He was beginning to feel that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Now I know what it means." she whispered again.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

She took a deep breath. "The end of my dream. I saw you both die. You were right in front of me, and I couldn't do anything to stop it."

Rini broke away from the rest of the group and went to kneel down by her future parents. She met Darien's eyes in a moment of silent understanding before gently laying a hand on Serena's shoulder.

"Serena…" she began, but was cut off as the blonde woman turned and engulfed her in a tight embrace. Rini returned the hug, holding tightly to her future mother.

Serena loosened her grip a few moments later to look at the teenage girl in front of her. She gave a genuine smile through her tears. "Well, at least I know I get it right the second go round."

Glad to see Serena being a little more like herself again, Rini scoffed. "Yeah right. Just remember that when you finally have me. Geez, talk about prime candidate for overprotective mother of the year. I had to come to the past and help save the world before my mother would finally let up on me. Before it was a battle to get her to let me even go into the bathroom by myself. Thank goodness my dad is the voice of reason in that relationship."

That broke the ice and everyone shared a laugh. They then realized that the sky had lightened and the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon.

Amy looked her watch. "But we've only been here an hour. How can the sun be rising?"

"Time moves differently here." Helios explained. "It takes four days here for one day to pass in the outer world. That was one reason why I wanted to bring you here, so we wouldn't be pressed for time."

Serena began struggling to her feet, so Darien stood and help her to stand on her still shaky legs. She looked around at her friends who were still watching her with worried eyes.

"I'm fine guys." she said, giving them all a small smile. "I was just having a moment. So Helios, what's next?"

Darien shook his head. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea anymore. Now that we know the back story, maybe we should just leave it at that."

Serena pulled away from him and stepped back. She pulled herself up straight and raised her chin defiantly. Her eyes now held a determined light in them that he had seen only a few times before when they were getting ready to face a powerful enemy. When she spoke there was fire and passion in her voice.

"I want to know. For me, the story's not enough. I need to understand everything. Hearing the story only makes me want to know more. I think it's important to know everything we can to stop Talon." She lowered her eyes and said softly, "And maybe this time I can save her."

"Sere, I don't know. I…" Darien began.

Serena laid a finger to his lips. "Shh…this is what I feel like I need to do. If you don't want to, I understand." She turned to the rest of them. "All of you, if you are having second thoughts about this and want to back out, it's okay. I only want you to do what you feel is right for you. I know this is going to be hard. Hell, I may even have another breakdown before this is all over. But this is my decision."

She looked back to Darien. "I'm sorry. I know you don't want to. But I…"

Darien took a step forward and pulled her into his arms, laying a gentle kiss on her lips. "Now you hush for a second. I never said I wasn't going through with this. I am just worried about you. But if you're going through this, I'm right there beside you."

"I'm with you too." Raye said, stepping forward

Mina came forward. "Absolutely."

Lita pounded a fist into her palm. "You better believe it."

"I'm in too." Amy said in a much stronger voice than usual.

The generals all nodded their agreement as well.

Amara pushed her way forward, with Michelle right behind her. "Don't count us out. We may not have been part of your inner guard before, but we're here now."

"Thanks guys. Let's find our lost pasts so we can pound this bastard into the ground." Serena stated.

Helios cleared his throat. "I think for now we will take a break. I suggest we all go up to the palace and relax. I need time to make preparations and I think everyone would benefit from some time to think before your memories are actually restored."

They all agreed before following Helios along a path that led toward the golden building in the distance.

Serena glanced over her shoulder at the statue of her unknown daughter one last time vowing silently to herself, 'This time you will survive. I promise.'

* * *

The sun was beginning to descend in Elysian's sky as Darien let himself out of the bedroom that he had been sleeping in. Before closing the door, he looked back toward the bed where Serena still lay curled up on her side.

They had all come up to the palace and spent some time talking about all the things that Helios had revealed in his story before deciding to take some time to rest. Once they had gone to the rooms that had been given to them, he had watched Serena pace the floor for several minutes before grabbing her and making her lie down.

At first she had protested, saying that she wasn't tired, but the dark shadows forming under her eyes had been a dead giveaway. So Darien had forced her onto the bed and held her close and demanded that she get some rest. She had resisted for a while, but had finally given in to the exhaustion that was plaguing her. Her sleep had been restless, but she didn't seem to be haunted by her reoccurring nightmare.

He had finally dozed off for a while and had gotten a few hours of sleep himself. Now he was curious to see what was in store for them now.

He made his way down the stairs and into the large hall. The delicious scents of food being cooked led him through a door to his left and down a short hallway until he reached a kitchen where it seemed that everyone else was awake and congregated.

The generals were all situated around a large table in the corner, doing their best to stay out of the way of the women who were gathered around a work island in the center of the room. They all seemed to be doing prep work while Lita moved back and forth between them and the large stove that had several pots and pans simmering on it.

"I hope Serena and Darien wake up soon, dinner will be ready in just a little while." Lita said while stirring one of the pots.

Darien walked into the kitchen. "Well I don't know about Serena, but I'm up. Whatever you're cooking smells fabulous, Lita."

Lita smiled. "Thanks, I figured we could all use a good meal. If what's coming up is half as hard as listening to that story earlier was."

"Yeah I hope you left your bedroom door open, Darien." Raye said. "Once the smell of food reaches Serena, she'll tear this place down to get to it."

Everyone shook their heads. They all knew that Raye loved Serena like a sister. Her picking and rude comments were just her way of showing that affection.

Darien looked at the clock. "I'm sure she'll be up soon. We slept for quite a while. I think she needs this rest though. This morning was tough on her."

A door that led to an outside patio opened and Rini walked in with Helios. The two of them were holding hands and had big smiles on their faces.

Mina grinned. "Well, it looks like you two have enjoyed your afternoon together."

"Yeah, don't think we didn't notice how the two of you disappeared right before we were getting dinner together." Lita said.

The two of them blushed. This wasn't lost on Darien as he eyed the pair suspiciously. While he technically wasn't her father yet, he had always felt very protective over his future daughter.

"Just where _have _you been young lady?" he asked in an authoritative voice.

Everybody turned stunned looks on Darien. They had never heard him speak like this before. No one seemed more surprised than Rini. She gaped at her future father in silence for a moment before anger took over. She stalked over to Darien and glared up at him. Her cheeks were flushed from anger and her maroon eyes sparked with fury.

Darien felt an overwhelming urge to laugh. She looked so much like Serena at this moment. It reminded him of all the times that Serena had gotten mad at him when they first met. They were both adorable when they lost their temper. But he seriously wanted to make sure that Rini wasn't doing anything she shouldn't be doing, so he fought back the laughter and forced himself to keep a stern face.

"Well?" he asked, staring down at the pink haired teenager.

Rini blew out an exasperated breath. "I don't know _Dad_. Maybe you have it all figured out already. So why don't you tell me."

Darien's own temper began to simmer. His own eyes beginning to dance with blue flames. "Don't get sarcastic with me Rini. I'm only asking because I'm concerned, that's all."

Rini threw her hands up in the air. "Oh for the love of God. What the hell do you think I was doing? Maybe I decided to drag my boyfriend off for a quickie before dinner."

Darien clenched his fists. "Serenity…" he ground out in a growl.

Rini now had tears of fury in her eyes as she glared at him. "Or maybe, just maybe, I was enjoying a nice afternoon walk with someone I care about a lot you big, stupid jerk."

Darien took a step back as he heard the genuine hurt in her voice. "Rini I…"

"No!" she cut him off. "I don't want to hear it. I thought you had more faith in me than that. Since you and my dad are supposed to be the same person, I would figure you would act the same. But my dad would never go all psychotic over me going out for a walk. You are nothing like my father, so leave me the hell alone!"

She had screamed the last part of that statement right into Darien's face as she poked him in the chest with a finger.

Darien's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the girl in front of him. He had never meant for things to get out of control like this.

A stunned voice came from the doorway. "Serenity Serena Shields, what on earth do you think you're doing?" Serena stood there taking in the scene of her future daughter going toe to toe with her future father.

Rini let out a groan as she turned around. "Oh great. Are you going to go all parental on me now too, Serena? I don't even have to deal with this much shit at home."

"Hey! Watch your mouth when you're talking to me." Serena snapped.

"Argh!" Rini raged. "This is exactly what I am talking about. Why can't you two look at me as just another sailor scout? Just another member of the team? You are not my parents yet, so stop treating me that way. If you want to satisfy some parental whim, go find that first daughter of yours. While you're at it, go ahead and make her crown princess of Crystal Tokyo. I don't want the job. Of course if you really want to, you can just make sure that I am never born at all. Then the three of you can enjoy your nice, happy little life without the misfit princess around."

With that, Rini burst into tears and ran from the room wailing. "I'm going home!"

Serena stood there for a moment with tears running down her face before whirling around to follow Rini.

"No. Let her go." Helios said quietly. "You have to understand that just as you have to come to terms with the past, so does she. Even though she has been raised with the true story of the Silver Millennium, being here and witnessing all of this is hard on her. She wants to be seen as an equal, but inside she's just a confused teenage girl. Her lashing out is just her way of coping with her emotions."

Darien walked over and put his arms around Serena. "She'll be okay. We all will."

Serena hugged him back. "I hope so." She gave a small giggle. "That little storming off fit she just threw reminded me of you."

Darien scoffed. "I don't think so. That was a classic Serena move. Complete with the wailing and everything."

Serena pulled slightly away. "Oh really?"

"Guys, guys." Raye broke in. "I think the rest of us will agree that Rini is a perfect mixture of the both of you." Then added under her breath, "Poor kid."

Serena opened her mouth to retaliate, but was interrupted by Lita. "Hey everyone. Dinner's ready. So please let's just drop it and eat. I didn't spend all this time cooking just to have it go to waste."

So the subject of Rini and her temper tantrum was put on hold as they all sat down to a wonderful dinner.

* * *

There was a misty rain falling on the city of Crystal Tokyo, making the late afternoon sky darker than usual. There was no one out on the streets in this weather except for one young teenage girl, who was trudging slowly down the sidewalk.

After several minutes of walking, she stopped in front of a large house. She stared up at the welcoming sight of the soft lights that were shining through the windows. With a long sigh, she made her way up to the front door and knocked.

After waiting for a few moments, the door was opened to reveal a tall man who stared in shock at the drenched teenager standing on the doorstep.

"Rini? What in the world…" He took the girl by the arm and pulled her inside the house and away from the rain outside.

"What are you doing here Rini?" the man asked. "I thought you were supposed to be in the past helping your parents."

Rini turned to look at the man. He could tell by the redness around her eyes that she had been crying, and he was instantly concerned.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" he asked gently.

"Is she here? I really need to talk to her." Rini whispered.

He gave her a small squeeze before saying, "Yeah, she's up in her studio. Go on up. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."

Rini climb the stairs to the top floor of the house and then went down a long hallway to the door at the very end. She knocked softly and waited a few seconds before she heard, "Come on in, it's open."

She pushed the door open to reveal a large room with several tables set around it. A computer sat on one, while books and papers covered the others. At a table at the far end of the room was a woman bent over studying some papers and mumbling to herself.

Without looking up she said, "I'll be with you in a sec Sere. I'm just trying to finish up something."

When she didn't hear a response, she glanced up to the sight of the bedraggled girl standing there.

"Oh my god, Rini. What's wrong?" the woman quickly rushed over and pulled the young girl into a tight embrace.

Rini couldn't help it. She burst into tears again and clung tightly to the woman. The startled woman held the weeping girl close to her as she tried to calm her. After a few minutes she managed to lead the teenager over to a couch and sit down.

She wiped the tears off the girl's cheeks. "Honey, what's going on? I thought you were still in the past. I thought you were Serena coming in. Darien and she are sneaking away from the palace to come have dinner here tonight."

Rini took a steadying breath. "I screwed up. I mean big time screwed up. I got mad at Darien and screamed at him, and then Serena came in and I went off on her too. I said some really bad things. I didn't mean them, they just sorta popped out. And I even said…" her voice trailed off.

"What did you say?" the woman asked softly.

Rini's eyes filled with tears again. "I told them to go find their first daughter and don't even bother having me. That was after I told them that they were nothing like my parents. I told them to enjoy their life with the real princess instead of having a screw up like me."

The woman sighed. "Oh Rini. I knew this would be hard for you. I wish I could go with you so I could help, but I can't. I know you didn't mean any of it. And by the way, you're a wonderful princess. Better than I ever could have been."

Rini laid her head down in the woman's lap. "Oh Sissy. I truly didn't mean it. I wouldn't trade you for anything. I know that technically were not really blood related, but you're the best sister in the whole world."

The woman laughed as she stroked the pink hair in her lap. "Oh I think there might be a few people out there that could do a better job."

Rini turned her head to look up at the person she thought of as her sister. "Do you miss it? I mean, being a princess and all? If things had gone differently in the Silver Millennium, you would have become Queen of the Moon and the Earth one day. After all, you were Crown Princess Melody Rose."

The lady was quiet for a moment, and then replied, "I don't know. When I think back on my past life, I have fond memories of my parents and grandparents. But I hated having to live in secrecy. This life has been everything I could have ever wanted and more. So if I were to answer truthfully, I prefer this life the way it is."

They sat in silence for a while until Rini drifted off to sleep. She didn't stir as her head was lifted off the lap she was resting on and placed on a pillow.

The other figure left the room and once in the hallway, she pulled a cell phone from her pocket. After dialing a number that very few people knew, she waited for the phone to ring. She growled when after several rings, she was forwarded to voice mail.

'Hi, this is Serena. Sorry I must be busy right now. Just leave me message and I'll get back with you as soon as I can.'

After the beep the woman left a message. "Okay Sere. No excuses tonight. You and Darien better get your asses here. I think we have a problem…"

**A/N** Okay, don't be mad at me. It's just a tiny cliffhanger. There was just so much info in this chapter that this seemed like a good place to stop it. I could have easily gone on for ten more pages. Don't worry though, Chapter 10 is coming soon and we'll find out some more secrets of the past. Later!

Sere-chan


	10. Hello Memories Part 1

**A/N** Yay! I'm still alive. You didn't send the lynch mob after me for that small cliffie at the end of the last chapter. Thanks for all the reviews and also thanks to everyone who went to youtube and watched the trailer for this story and left comments. You guys rock!

Okay, time for me to give out hugs to my faithful reviewers.

**xo Usako ox**

**KageNoNeko**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**silvermermaidprincesskerry**

**forlornromanticist**

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

**snoopykid**

**JmacKarla**

**Small Town Minx**

Give yourselves a pat on the back. Well this is the longest chapter yet, so I'm going to shut up now and let you read.

_**ENJOY!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 10

Hello Memories Part 1

Night had fallen and the room had grown dark by the time the pink haired princess laying on the couch woke up. The only illumination in the room came from a small lamp on a nearby table. The light was soft, but it was bright enough for the girl to see two pairs of concerned blue eyes watching her when she turned her head.

Rini cringed into the cushions of the sofa, not sure what kind of greeting she was going to receive from her parents. With the memory of the fight she had with their past selves still fresh in her mind, she wasn't sure if she could even face them now.

She got to her feet and backed away from them a few steps. "Mom…Dad…what are you guys doing here?"

Her mother gave her a smile as she leaned back in the chair she was sitting in. Right now she resembled her past self more than Neo Queen Serenity. Her formal dress was missing and had been replaced by worn jeans and a soft knit top. Her hair was also out of its customary royal style and was pulled back into a single ponytail.

"Well, we were invited to dinner here, and upon arriving were informed that you had shown up here unexpectedly and were quite upset." the Queen said as she surveyed her daughter.

"Want to talk about it?" her father asked. He had also shed his royal attire for the night and was also in jeans and a t-shirt.

Rini shook her head. "No, not really. I know you already know what happened. I was such a bitch to both of you. I'm a horrible person." As she said this, fresh tears sprang to her eyes.

Her mother got up from her seat and approached the troubled teenager. The young girl tried to move away, but the older woman pulled her daughter into her arms and held her close. A few moments later, both of them were crushed as the king came and wrapped his arms around them.

He breathed out a heavy sigh. "What am I going to do with my two girls? I'm glad the Silver Crystal keeps me from aging, or else every hair on my head would be gray by now."

"Darien!" the queen exclaimed, pulling back and swatting playfully at her husband's arm. "Exactly what is that supposed to mean?"

Rini giggled, glad to see that her parents didn't seem to be too upset with her. "For real dad, you make it sound like I live a wild life or something."

"Oh please you two." Darien groaned. "I had my hands full enough with you Serena. It seemed like every time I turned around, you were standing in danger's path. And then a little pink haired monster falls out of the sky and I find out she's my daughter. She seemed to have the same danger prone tendencies as her mother. I'm amazed I didn't have a heart attack at an early age."

Serena and Rini smiled conspiratorially at each other before saying together, "Let's get him." They tackled him back onto the sofa where they both proceeded to tickle him. They were all laughing when the door opened.

The lady of the house walked in. "Well I'm assuming by the laughter coming from this room that everything is okay."

The three on the couch were breathing heavily as they looked up at the newcomer.

Rini's eyes clouded a bit at that. "No, not exactly. I still don't know what to do about what I did."

Serena spoke up. "I'll tell you exactly what you're going to do. You're going to march right back to Elysian and we're all going to work this out so we can get back to business."

Rini shook her head. "I don't know if I can do that."

Darien put his arm around his daughter. "Sure you can sweetie. Just remember, your mother and I have already seen this from the other side. And I admit that I was wrong in jumping to conclusions about you and Helios. In the past I'm a twenty one year old with raging hormones, so I naturally thought that that was all a guy would have on his mind."

Rini shrieked. "Eww dad! Way too much information."

They all laughed for a minute before becoming serious once again.

Rini sighed. "I guess I'm going back then."

"That's my girl." Serena cheered.

Rini gave each of her parents a big hug, and then turned to her sister. They stared at each other for a minute before embracing each other tightly.

Rini heard a whisper in her ear. "I know a little bit about being a bitch too. When everything comes to light, my past self doesn't handle it too well. Just be there for me, sis."

"I will." Rini whispered back before letting her go. She went the far side of the room before pulling out her time key.

"I'll see you later." And with a few spoken words, a bright pink light filled the room. When it faded, Rini was gone.

Serena leaned back against her husband. "I hope everything turns out alright. One wrong move could change history and alter the future."

Darien kissed the crown of her head. "It will be fine. It was a tough road to follow, but everything worked out in the end."

"Of course everything goes fine." the woman standing next to them said. "I'm still here aren't I?"

Serena nodded as her eyes filled with sadness. "But you almost weren't. We almost lost you for a second time." She turned and embraced the woman standing next to her. After a few moments the pulled away from each other and wiped their eyes.

The other woman sniffled as she looked at the queen. "Geez, melodramatic much Sere? I thought we both outgrew that a long time ago."

Darien chuckled. "You two might not be mother and daughter in this lifetime, but I swear you two are still so much alike. Add Rini into the mix and you have a triple recipe for disaster."

The two women laughed at that. But then the second woman said, "Not really, I like to think that I have some of your more charming personality traits too, Dare."

Just then a voice floated up to them from the first floor. "Hey! Do I have to bring dinner up there or what? The food is going to get cold if you don't get your butts in gear."

The lady of the house sighed. "And the master has spoken. I guess we better go. If he gets too upset, he'll end up making me mad, and I would hate to make him sleep on the couch again."

Serena replied, "Ahh, the joys of married life. I suppose we better get down there before your hubby decides to feed our dinner to the dogs."

They all made their way from the room to head downstairs to the dining room, but inside all three of them were thinking about the events of the past and hoping that nothing unexpected happened.

* * *

Serena was sitting under a tree that was situated on top of hill that overlooked the expansive flower gardens of Elysian. The sun was beginning to set, and shadows began to blanket the land.

After dinner had been eaten a couple of hours ago, she had quietly slipped away while everyone was talking to find a quiet spot to think about the events of the day. While the thought of her memories being tampered with by her past mother were troubling, she was more concerned at the moment about Rini and the showdown that they had earlier.

She lay back on the soft grass beneath her and closed her eyes. She didn't like to think that her relationship between her and her future daughter might be breached beyond repair. If it weren't for the fact that two of the same person couldn't exist in the same time, she would beg Pluto to smuggle her into Crystal Tokyo so she could try to talk to Rini.

As she lay there lost in thoughts, she felt someone sit down beside her. She didn't need to open her eyes to know who it was. She felt his comforting energy reach out and envelop her before she heard his voice in her head.

'_Are you going to keep hiding out here by yourself, or do you mind some company?'_

She opened her eyes to look at him. "Funny, that sounds like something I would usually ask you."

Darien chuckled softly, relieved that she wasn't pushing him away. "True, I'm usually the one who goes off and broods by myself when I have something on my mind. You're worried about Rini, aren't you?"

Serena sat up and pulled her knees to her chest so she could wrap her arms around them. "What if she's so mad at us that she never comes back? I don't think I could live with myself if that happens."

Darien put his arm around her and pulled her so her head rested on his shoulder. "She'll be back soon." he whispered. "She's got too much of your kindness in her to stay away."

They sat in silence for a while as they watched the rest of the sunset. When the last sliver of the sun had fallen past the horizon, Darien got to his feet and held a hand out to Serena to help her up.

"I guess we better get back to the others and see what Helios has in store for us next." he said as she got to her feet.

As they turned toward the palace they heard a small voice behind them. "Darien…Serena…"

They both spun and were confronted with the sight of a bedraggled Rini. Her clothes were rumpled and her hair was out of her usual odango hairstyle and hung in a pink tangled mass to her waist. Her eyes and nose were both red from crying.

"Rini!" Serena shrieked as she flung herself at the smaller girl and wrapped her in a huge hug. A few moments later, they were both almost lifted of the ground as Darien grabbed them both up in a bear hug.

Rini smiled to herself, remembering the similar embrace she had shared with her parents a short while ago. "I take back everything I said, you two are just like my parents after all."

They all pulled apart from each other. Serena eyed her future daughter with concern. "Honey why are your clothes damp. You look like you just walked ten miles in a thunderstorm. And knowing that you hate them as much as I do, I seriously doubt that."

Rini grinned sheepishly. "It was raining in Crystal Tokyo when I got there. I went over to a friend's house. And since I went straight there without going home first, I didn't have an umbrella."

"Oh" Serena muttered. "Were you so mad at us that you couldn't even face your parents?"

Rini looked down at the ground. "It was more like I was too ashamed to face them. So I went to talk to someone who knows about the situation. She also happens to be good friends with my parents and she had invited them over for dinner. So they showed up and we talked for a while and they convinced me to come back here."

"Well I'm glad they did." Darien said.

"Me too." Serena agreed.

Rini looked up at them. "Yeah I am too. I'm really sorry you guys, you know, for blowing up like that. I didn't mean any of it."

"We know that, sweetie. We didn't mean to sound so overbearing either." Serena said while putting her arm around the girl.

"That's right. I will always be a little overprotective of you, but I'll try to lay off." Darien told her. "Now let's get you inside and out of those wet clothes."

Serena asked her, "Have you eaten? Lita had plenty of leftovers from dinner."

They all laughed as they heard her stomach growl. "I guess I should have stayed and had dinner with my parents. But I was in such a hurry to get back that I didn't think about it. I'm surprised there was any food left with you around Serena."

Serena growled. "Why you little…"

Darien broke in. "Come on you two. I'm sure we have a busy night ahead of us."

With that the three of them walked down the hill together toward the palace and what awaited them there.

* * *

Later that evening Helios led everyone into a large room that resembled an infirmary. Beds lined both sides of the room, leaving a wide center aisle down the middle.

"So what are we doing in here, Helios?" Serena voiced the question that she was sure everyone else was thinking.

Helios turned to look at them all. "The best way to restore your memories is to put you into a dream state. Then the memories will play through your mind just like you were having a dream. I figured this was the only room large enough to make everyone comfortable while this is being done."

"So you're going to do everyone at once?" Darien asked.

Helios replied, "Yes, it's the easiest way. You will all relive your memories up until the moment of your death in the Silver Millennium, then you will awaken with the memories intact."

"Oh boy. Doesn't that just give you the warm fuzzies inside?" Raye muttered.

"For sure." Mina responded.

"Yeah, who has ever gone to sleep knowing that a nightmare is guaranteed?" Lita growled.

Amy whispered, "I know I haven't."

Each of the generals walked over to their respective girlfriend and put their arms around them. Each one of their actions spoke the same thing. _'Please don't hate me when this is over. I already hate myself enough.'_

All of the girls turned to smile at their loves. They each took a moment to reassure them.

"I know you didn't mean it." Mina said to Kunzite.

Raye hugged Jadeite tightly. "You weren't in control of your actions."

"It was all that bitch's fault." Lita ground out between clenched teeth to Nephrite.

Amy spoke in her soft voice to Zoicite, "It was a lifetime ago, let it go."

Serena and Darien stood there taking in the scene between their friends and guardians. Amara and Michelle made their way over to them.

"Makes you feel a little left out doesn't it?" Amara asked.

Serena shivered. "No it just makes me wonder what's waiting for me in Serenity's memories."

Darien pulled her into his arms. "Whatever we find out, we'll deal with it together."

Helios cleared his throat. "Is everyone ready?"

Serena gave a nervous giggle. "About as ready as we're ever going to be."

"Okay then." Helios instructed. "Everyone pick a bed and get situated. Then we'll begin the process."

They all split up to find a place. Serena and Darien went over to the left side of the room and chose spots next to each other.

Rini followed them and stood between their beds. When they were laid down, she reached out and grabbed each of their hands. "I'll be here when you two get back from la la land." she said with a smile.

They each squeezed her hand and returned her smile. She then walked over toward Helios, who was waiting for everyone to get settled.

With a sigh Helios said, "Okay, we're ready to begin. In a few moments you will go to sleep and the memory restoration will begin." He began chanting an ancient incantation that only a high priest of Elysian would know. It seemed that being a guardian of the land of dreams had it's perks.

Serena felt her eyelids growing heavy. She reached a hand across the space that separated her from Darien. He met her halfway.

"I guess I'll see you on the other side." he said groggily.

She responded tiredly, "Yeah, see ya there. I love you, Darien."

Darien yawned. "I love you too, Serena…"

That was the last thing she heard as she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

**_Endymion's Memories_**

A three-year-old Endymion was playing hide and seek in the palace garden with his father when they both heard a high squeal. Turning they saw Althea, Queen of the Earth, running down the path toward them. She had a wide smile on her face as she threw herself at her husband.

"My dear, what has happened to cause you to run around shrieking like a banshee?" the king asked good-naturedly.

"Oh darling." the queen gushed excitedly. "I just received word that Serenity gave birth today to a beautiful baby girl. I'm so excited. I have to go see her as soon as I can. This is just too wonderful."

The king chuckled. "Alright my love, we'll go as soon as she is ready to accept visitors."

'_Great, another visit to the moon.' _Endymion thought to himself. _'And this time there will be a squalling baby there.'_

Several other memories flash by and then Endymion was standing in the throne room of the moon castle with his parents as they were being introduced to the newborn moon princess for the first time.

He had a hard time seeing what all the fuss was about, it was just a baby after all. After his mother got done fawning over the tiny princess, she handed her back to Queen Serenity, who laid the baby back in her cradle.

Curious as to what had everyone so hyped up, he crept over to the cradle and peeked over the rim. The baby seemed to be asleep, but then she opened her large eyes. Her soft blue gaze captivated him.

"I guess you are kind of cute, for a baby anyway." he said, reaching a hand toward the infant. He gasped when she reached up and grabbed one of his fingers in a surprisingly tight grip.

He chuckled. "You sure are strong for a girl." He was unaware of how both queens were watching them, plotting and planning in their minds.

Many other memories passed. Playing with friends, family holidays, more trips to the moon, and the lunar royal family visiting earth.

Endymion was ten and was in the royal stable with his best friends, Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite. He had received his own horse for his birthday and seemed to be spending much of his time with it now.

His friends were all lounging on a haystack while he was grooming his black horse. They weren't carrying on a conversation about anything in particular until Kunzite said, "I'm surprised that you're not up at the palace spending time with your betrothed. Isn't she visiting now?"

Endymion threw his friend an exasperated glare. "She not my betrothed. She's just the daughter of a friend of my mother's. That's all."

Jadeite laughed. "And I suppose that the contract the your parents and hers came up with years ago saying that you would some day be wed to each other means nothing."

"Knock it off Jed." Endymion growled. "We're just kids right now. We've got a long time before we have to think about marriage. Besides, a lot could happen in that time."

"True." Nephrite said. "I heard she brought some friends with her this time."

"Oh yeah." Endymion groaned. "A bratty little group from some of the neighboring planets. The princesses of Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus. I get a headache just thinking about the way they all chatter away when they are together."

"Speak of the devil." Zoicite muttered as a group of five girls appeared in the doorway of the stable.

The blonde in front spoke. "Prince Endymion, we were interested in seeing the stable and your mother told us that you would be here. I wasn't aware that you had company though. Perhaps we should save our visit for another time."

She started to turn away, and suddenly he didn't want to see her go. "No, that's okay princess. These are some friends of mine that you might have met before. May I introduce Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite.

The girls nodded to the group. Princess Serenity then introduced her group. "This is Princess Rei of Mars, Princess Ami of Mercury, Princess Makoto of Jupiter, and Princess Minako of Venus. Princess Haruka of Uranus and Princess Michiru of Neptune also wanted to accompany us, but were unable to at this time."

The boys all bowed to the princesses. Endymion told them, "Feel free to look around. If you have any questions, just ask."

"Thank you." Serenity said, and she and the other princesses began to make their way through the stable.

"I thought you said they were brats." Kunzite said walking up to Endymion.

Endymion shook his head. "They usually are. Just wait, their true colors will show sooner or later."

Ten minutes later, they all saw what their prince meant as the stable was filled with squeals of delight as the group of girls rushed around looking at all the animals that were kept here.

Endymion was trying to ignore them and continued grooming his horse. He saw a golden blur out the corner of his eye and looked up just in time to see the blonde approaching the stall of a white horse with a nasty attitude. The girl reached her hand out toward the horse and Endymion saw the horse bare it's teeth in preparation to bite.

He reacted without thinking. "Look out!" he hollered as he ran at the girl and knocked her to the ground seconds before the horse lunged.

He picked both of them up of the ground, and then his temper kicked in. "Don't you know how to read?" he raged. "That sign on the stall says keep away. He could have taken a nice little chunk out of you."

"I…I'm sorry." Serenity stammered. "He's just so beautiful that I had to have a closer look."

"Well if you can't pay attention to warnings, maybe you shouldn't be here." Endymion yelled at her.

Her blue eyes filled with tears. "Perhaps you're right. I'll remove myself from your presence." She spun and quickly fled quickly out the doors.

An awkward silence fell for a few minutes and then the other princesses said their farewells before leaving as well.

"Well that was interesting." Nephrite said.

Endymion ignored him and set about putting his horse back in its stall. A little while later the group left and made their way back to the palace. They noticed that the sky had dark clouds in it, signaling that a thunderstorm was on its way.

As they entered the front hall of the palace, they encountered mass chaos. People were running around in every direction. Endymion spotted his mother and made his way over to her side.

"Mother, what's going on?" he asked.

Althea spun to give her son a panicked look. "Oh Endymion. Is Serenity with you? The other girls said she was almost attacked by that devil horse in the stable and left quite upset. They thought she had come back here, but when they arrived they couldn't find her. Now this storm is moving in and Queen Serenity said that her daughter is deathly afraid of thunderstorms."

Endymion felt guilt beginning to flow through his body. He knew that he was the reason why she had been upset when she had run out. If she had run into the nearby woods, she could easily become lost, especially with how fast the sky was darkening.

He slipped away quietly and made his way back to the stable. There was a path nearby that led into the wooded area. That seemed to be the logical choice for where she could have gone.

Lightening began to light up the sky and loud thunder was literally shaking the ground. The rain broke hard and cold as he reached the path and he made his way into the forest.

"Serenity" he began calling as he ran down the narrow path. After several minutes of screaming her name, he thought he heard a soft whimper in between the claps of thunder.

He rounded a curve and saw a small figure huddled on the ground. He rushed over to her and saw that she was shaking violently.

He reached down to touch her shoulder. "Serenity?"

Just then a loud boom of thunder sounded, and he found his arms full of a crying, wet princess.

"I hate storms." she sobbed. "I hate them, I hate them, I hate them!"

"Come on." he said, helping her up. "Let's get inside before this gets any worse. You've got everyone worried, all because I had to act like an idiot."

She turned those wide blue eyes on him, and he was once again trapped in them. "You mean you're not mad at me anymore." she asked.

He chuckled. "No I'm not mad. Now let's go before we both catch our deaths out here."

She quickly kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Endy." Unconsciously using a nickname that would stick from now on.

From then on, a bond was built between the two of them. Over the next year, they spent a lot of time together talking about different things when the two families were together. He was actually beginning to imagine that it wouldn't be so bad to be married to the moon princess when they grew up, so he was crushed when a year later his father came and told him that the marriage contract had been cancelled all because of a stupid prophecy.

They still saw each other occasionally, but could feel that their parents were no longer pushing them to be together. He couldn't help but become more entranced by his princess as the years went by. She grew more beautiful as she grew older. She left behind her brash ways and adopted a softer, gentler nature.

On her fifteenth birthday, Serenity was visiting with her parents. It had been a year since Endymion had seen her, and he was almost brought to his knees by the vision that she made standing in the entrance hall of the castle.

Her golden hair was in the traditional style of the royal moon family and hung almost to the floor. She was also wearing a white gown with gold circles across the bodice that proclaimed her status as moon princess. Her sky blue eyes were as clear and beautiful as ever as they scanned the hall as if looking for something, or somebody.

Endymion was frozen at the top of the stairs. He couldn't make his body move. Something must have attracted attention to him though because she looked up at him and a wide smile broke over her face. It lit up her eyes and made his heart thump loudly in his chest.

"Ah, Endymion my boy." his father called out as he spotted his son. "I was wondering where you had gotten off to. Come down and greet our guests."

He made his way down the wide staircase and bowed politely to the King and Queen of the Moon. He then turned to the golden angel and took her hand in his as he gently raised it to his lips to bestow a gentle kiss on the back of it.

"Princess Serenity, you are as lovely as ever." he said in a voice that had deepened with age. He was eighteen now, and was now considered a man.

"Thank you Prince Endymion. It has been far too long since we have seen each other." the princess responded, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

They both seemed to be rooted to the spot as they gazed at each other. Endymion looked down at her pink lips and wondered if they were as soft as they looked. He suddenly had an overwhelming urge to kiss them and find out.

"Now that everyone is here, I'm sure you must be famished." Queen Althea's voice broke through his thoughts. "I suggest we all retire to the dining hall for dinner. I'm sure the kitchen has come up with something wonderful in honor of the princess's birthday."

Serenity broke her gaze away from the prince as she removed her hand from his and turned to the queen. "Oh Your Majesty, you needn't have gone through any trouble on my account."

Althea brushed away her protests. "Nonsense my dear. You are the daughter of my closest friend. What kind of hostess would I be if we didn't at least acknowledge your birthday?"

With that, the kings and queens turned to walk down the hall. Endymion walked up and offered his arm to her.

"Shall we?" he asked with a grin.

A small giggle escaped her. "Yes, let us join them. Far be it from me to disobey a direct order from the queen."

She put her slender arm through his and they followed their parents.

Later that evening, Endymion lay in his bed staring up at the ceiling. Usually he had no trouble falling asleep, but tonight he was plagued by thoughts of a golden haired goddess.

She had sat across the table from him at dinner and had occasionally joined in the conversation that had flowed around them. He had been so spellbound by her beauty and her soft melodic voice that he couldn't even remember what food they had been served.

Not long after dinner, the moon royals expressed their desire to retire for the night. So after the good night wishes, he had watched as she followed her parents up the stairs to the rooms they had been given.

So now here he was, wide-awake with no chance of sleep in sight. Throwing back the covers, he walked over to the large doors that led out onto the balcony outside his. Maybe some fresh air would do him good.

He stood next to the railing and looked out over the large rose garden as he breathed deeply of the cool night air. He paused as he saw a figure moving down one of the paths that led toward the center of the garden.

The moonlight shone softly on the vision of white and gold. He smirked to himself as he made his way back inside and hastily threw his clothes on.

A few minutes later he entered the rose garden and started down the path that he had seen her take. It didn't take long before he located who he was seeking sitting on a bench in the middle of the garden, surrounded by red roses.

He was quietly making his way toward her when a twig snapped under his foot, giving away his presence.

The blonde head shot up and the blue eyes widened as she looked around to see who had come up on her unexpectedly. When she saw who it was, she relaxed once more.

"Hello Endy." she spoke softly.

"Good evening Sere." he responded lightly. "What are you doing out here at this time of night?"

She sighed. "I guess I just have a lot on my mind and it left me unable to sleep. I thought maybe coming out here would soothe my troubled thoughts. The roses are as beautiful as ever. I still remember the first time you showed them to me."

So did he. It had been the day after the fiasco in the stable and the thunderstorm that followed. She had shown an interest in the different varieties of flowers on earth, so he had offered to show her the gardens. When she had seen the roses, she had let out a squeal of pure delight.

"Oh Endy, they're so pretty. What kind of flowers are these?" she had asked excitedly.

"They're roses." he responded. "As you can see, they come in many different colors."

She went straight for the red ones. "These are my favorite. The color is just so vibrant."

He was secretly pleased. The red ones were his favorite as well. He still couldn't help but say, "I figured you would like the white ones. They seem more like you."

She wrinkled up her button nose. "They're nice too, but I get tired of white. Most of the flowers at home are white or a very pale shade. These are much better."

So here they were once again, red roses all around them. He made his way over to the bench and sat beside her. She turned her head away. But not before he caught a glimpse of tears in her eyes.

"Sere, what's wrong?" he asked gently.

"I overheard my parents talking tonight." she replied dully. "They were talking about how in a year I'll be sixteen and it will be time for me to select a husband."

Endymion's breath froze as he heard those words. He thought of what he could say to make her feel better. "It won't be so bad. You'll make someone a great wife."

She jumped up from her seat in an unusual show of emotion. "You just don't get it! I spent so long thinking…" she trailed off.

He rose to his feet, hope beginning to bloom within him at the thought that this angel might hold feelings for him as well. He put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head back until he could meet those crystal eyes with his darker gaze.

"What did you think?" he whispered to her.

She drew in a shaky breath. "I had thought that maybe you and I would…but then that stupid prophecy was made. And I haven't even seen you for a year…" She was rambling uncontrollably now, but what she said next shocked him to his core.

"I think I'm in love with you." she blurted out quickly. Then realizing what she had just said, she blushed madly and tore away from him before running down the path.

Endymion stood in disbelief for a few moments before his brain could process the words he had just heard. _'She loves me!'_ he thought ecstatically as he turned to run after her, his heart beating wildly with every step he took.

He hadn't gone far when he heard the sound of quiet sobs coming from behind a hedge. He rounded it and found his princess on her knees, clutching her chest as she cried.

When she felt his presence, she jumped to her feet and began to back away. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to say that. I…"

She was interrupted as Endymion walked up to her and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and nearly moaned aloud when he felt her slim arms creep up around his neck.

He pulled back and wiped the tear tracks from her cheeks. "I love you too." he murmured to her softly. "And I promise, no other man will have you. I don't care about any prophecies or anything else. You belong to me and will be my wife."

"But…" she began, but was cut off by him kissing her again.

"Don't worry about it now." he told her. "We have a whole year until your next birthday, and I'll be right there to state my intentions to your parents."

She threw herself against him and hugged him tightly. Neither one of them were aware of the four sets of eyes that were watching them sadly from a window.

The very next day a message arrived threatening an attack if the visitors from the moon kingdom didn't leave immediately. To try to keep the peace, the lunar royal family decided that it was best to cut their trip short and go home.

Endymion brooded around the castle for a few days before he was called to his father's office.

"Come in, my son." the king greeted him when he arrived at the door.

"You wanted to see me father?" Endymion questioned.

The king cleared his throat. "Yes, I did. In light of the current threats we have been receiving from the radicals, we have decided to cut off all communications between us and the moon kingdom."

Endymion was stunned. "But father…"

"I know." the king interjected. "Your mother is not happy about it either, but we received word that a group of radicals ambushed the royal family while they were returning home. The Queen and Princess Serenity were unharmed, but sadly the king wasn't as lucky. He was wounded and died shortly after returning to the moon castle."

Endymion stood swiftly. "Then we must go to them and offer our support."

"No." the king demanded. "All travel and communication between the Earth and the Moon is now expressly forbidden. Queen Serenity and I have consulted each other on this subject, and we both believe it is for the best."

"This is unbelievable." Endymion exploded. "They are our friends. This is not the time to be pulling away from them. This is a time when they need their allies to stand beside them."

The king shook his head. "Son, it is because of their association with our planet that this horrible event occurred. They have friends from the other planets to help them through this trying time. Just be glad that the Silver Millennium didn't decide to go to war with us over this."

Endymion threw himself back into his chair. The king eyed his son's troubled face and sighed. "I know what is really going through your mind, and ten years ago I was all for it. She is a beautiful and graceful young lady that I would be proud to call my daughter-in-law, but unfortunately when you are royalty you have to bend to what the people want in certain circumstances. An alliance with the lunar family would throw both the Earth and the Moon into mass chaos."

Endymion knew his father was right, but it didn't make it any easier to bear. He had a vision of his beautiful princess in his head. The woman he loved was mourning the loss of her father and he was unable to be at her side. Then he had an idea, so he excused himself from his father's presence and made his way to his room.

Once there, he dressed quickly in all black clothes and threw a black cape over his shoulders. He strapped his belt containing his sword around his hips in case he ran into any trouble, and then slipped quietly from his room.

He stealthily made his way down the stairs and out the front doors of the palace. He was heading for the path that would lead him to the teleportation platform when a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Going somewhere my prince?" a deep voice asked from the shadows.

Endymion whirled around swiftly with his hand on the hilt of his sword. He was on guard until he recognized Kunzite observing him from the dark.

"Kunzite, what are you doing here?" the prince asked in confusion.

Kunzite stepped forward where the moonlight could illuminate his face. "I'm doing my job, my prince. I pulled night duty for this evening, so I am protecting the boundaries of the palace from possible invaders."

"Oh" Endymion replied. "Well I am just going for a walk. I shall see you later, Kunzite."

Kunzite smirked. "Be sure to give Princess Serenity my regards as well, and my condolences about her father. He was a good man."

"How did you…" Endymion began.

"Please my prince." Kunzite interrupted. "You are dressed for stealth and heading for the teleportation platform. I'm pretty sure I know where you're going."

"Will you keep your silence Kunzite?" the prince questioned.

"Do not worry. Your secret is safe with me." Kunzite answered. "If you happen to see Princess Minako of Venus, give her my regards as well."

Endymion shared a conspiratorial smile with his friend. "I will, and thank you. She means the world to me, and I just feel the need to be at her side now."

"Proceed with caution Endymion." Kunzite murmured as he watched his prince disappear from sight. "I fear you are heading down an uncertain path."

That night began a series of undercover visits between Endymion and Serenity. Some nights he would sneak up to the moon to see her, and some nights she would make her way down to earth to visit him. As time moved on, the bond between the two of them grew stronger, much to the chagrin of both of their groups of guards who kept their secrets for them.

A year had past since their declaration of love in the rose garden, and Endymion was excited about the upcoming festivities celebrating the moon princess's coming of age. Finally he would declare himself as being the one to wed her. The past year had been quiet, without any more threats from the radical group that seemed to be so opposed to the moon kingdom.

An invitation sent by the princess herself had been delivered to the palace a week ago, and Endymion couldn't wait until he could publicly stand by his princess's side and let everyone know their intentions to be married.

The morning of her birthday dawned bright and clear. Endymion quickly jumped out of bed and dressed carefully in his royal attire. He wanted to look his best when he officially asked for Serenity's hand.

Smiling widely, he made his way downstairs to the dining hall where his parents were already seated and enjoying their breakfast.

"Good morning father, good morning mother. How are both of you this morning?" he asked in a cheerful tone.

Queen Althea smiled at her son. "Good morning Endymion. I trust you had a pleasant night."

Endymion chuckled as a plate was set before him. "Yes I did. I was wondering what time you were wanting to leave in order to attend Princess Serenity's birthday celebration." He began eating his food with a gusto, not noticing the silence that had suddenly fallen in the room.

He looked up to find both of his parents staring at him. "What? Do I have food on my face?" he asked, picking up his napkin.

"No, that's not it." the queen said quietly. "It's just that…" she trailed off and turned to look at her husband.

The king took a deep breath. "I'm afraid that we will not be attending the festivities on the moon."

Endymion slammed his hand down on the table. "You can't mean that. She personally invited us. It would be improper for us not to go."

The king was starting to lose his own temper. "Don't speak to me like that Endymion. I'm sure the princess has been reprimanded for sending that invitation. She broke the rules of no contact when she pulled that little stunt. For the time being, to keep the peace, I see no reason to renew our relationship with the moon kingdom."

"Fine." Endymion said, getting up from the table and leaving the room. He went down to the stable and saddled his horse. Maybe a ride would help clear his head. He took off, not caring which direction he was going. He had been riding hard for about an hour, when he came upon a pond set in the middle of a peaceful meadow. Figuring that his horse could use a drink, he dismounted and led him over to the water.

He stood there taking in the tranquility of the landscape, however he soon became aware that he not alone there. A short way along the shoreline, a young lady sat there gazing out over the water.

She was a striking woman. Not classically beautiful like Serenity, but she commanded attention just the same. Long red hair flowed around her in waves and her eyes were a deep reddish brown.

Endymion suddenly felt an uncontrollable urge to be closer to her. As he began to walk over to her, she turned her head in his direction and smiled. He felt every other thought fly out of his head at the sight of that smile.

She rose gracefully from her sitting position and waited for him to approach her. When he was standing right in front of her, she spoke.

"Good day, my prince. I have been waiting for you." She stepped even closer to him and pressed her body tightly against his.

Endymion groaned aloud at the feel of those soft, womanly curves pressed up against his body. He looked down into those unusual eyes and had to use every ounce of his self-control to keep from throwing this woman to the ground and using her body to relieve the sudden sexual frustration that had taken over his body.

It seemed that she was of the same mind as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down so that she could leave a trail of kisses up his throat to his ear. She sucked gently on his earlobe before blowing a breath into his ear. She chuckled softly as she felt a shudder rack his body and heard the gasp that left his lips.

Inside he was in turmoil. He felt that there was something that he should be remembering, but he couldn't remember what it was. He pulled back to look at the seductress he held in his arms and asked. "Who are you?"

"My name is Beryl, my lord." she replied as she began pulling his head down again, bringing his lips closer to hers.

Endymion's mind was racing. _'Beryl, why does that sound familiar. Wait…the daughter of the old radical leader was named Beryl.' _This thought quickly snapped him out of the spell that she had cast on him. He saw the lips approaching his as a face flashed through his head. _'Serenity'_

He abruptly pulled himself out of the clutches of the flame haired witch. "I'm terribly sorry. I just remembered an important appointment that I must keep. It was a pleasure making your acquaintance."

He turned and walked swiftly to his horse. He mounted quickly and kicked the horse into a fast run to put as much distance as possible between him and the temptress. If he had looked back he would have seen flames practically shooting from her eyes as she watched him ride away.

He swiftly rode back toward the palace, cursing himself every step of the way for almost falling for her magic. His mind was clear now, and he knew what he had to do. He had made a promise to his princess, and he was going to keep it. His parents may disown him when this was all said and done, but he knew what he wanted, and he wanted Serenity as his wife.

He continued home, formulating his plan in his head. A smile spread across his face as he thought, _'You better look out princess. I'm coming for you.'_ Tonight was going to be a night that neither of them would ever forget. Tonight he was going to sweep her off her feet.

**A/N** All right, I know that this is another cliffhanger. (Down on my knees begging for mercy.) Please don't kill me. When I originally typed up this chapter I couldn't stop, so it ended up being one long drawn out story that is something like 50+ pages long. So this is the part that I have edited so far. I figured it would probably be better to break it up into parts anyway. I am currently editing the next part that will continue Endymion's memories and move on to Serenity's. So at the moment I'm not sure if this is only going to be two parts or three. As I'm editing I keep getting more ideas and deciding to put them in the story as well. Well remember to review and tell me how I'm doing. Later!

Sere-chan


	11. Hello Memories Part 2

**A/N** Hey guys. I'm so sorry about the wait for this update, but my com crapped out. It's finally working right again, but unfortunately I lost everything that I had typed up on this story. So now I'm trying to recreate it the way I had it and it's been giving me problems. (LOL…my OCD's kicking in again) Anyway, real life has also been knocking on my door as well, so I haven't had a lot of extra time. I promise I am spending every moment I can trying to get this back up and running so bear with me. Okay time to give my shout outs.

**xo Usako ox**

**silvermermaidprincesskerry**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**KageNoNeko**

**snoopykid**

**JmacKarla**

**Small Town Minx**

**Ldsprincess**

**ange de l'aube**

**Andysteve1311**

Thank you so much for your continued support. You guys are the best. Well it's well after midnight here, so I'm going to shut up now.

_**ENJOY!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 11

Hello Memories Part 2

The moon was decked out for the celebration of it's princess's coming of age. Hundreds of people had been invited from all across the galaxy to join in the festivities. They were roaming in and out of the castle and across the grounds in pairs and small groups. None of them took notice of the lone young man that had shown up late to the party.

When he had arrived home, Endymion had been pleased to find that his parents had gone out for the evening, so sneaking away had not been a problem. He had gone up to his room and removed the envelope that contained the invitation to Serenity's birthday celebration from its resting place in a bedside drawer.

He pulled it out to look at it again and noticed for the first time that there was another sheet of paper inside as well. Removing it from the envelope, he unfolded the single sheet of paper that contained a neat feminine script.

_My Dearest Endy,_

_I hope this note finds you well. I just wanted to inform you that I have decided to make the ball in honor of my birthday a masquerade ball. This may prove helpful to you should you perceive any problems that may make it difficult for you to attend. I will be waiting for you my love._

_Always Yours Forever,_

_Serenity_

Endymion had grinned. Oh yes, this definitely made it easier. He quickly shed his royal garb and went to his closet where he pulled out the tuxedo he had worn to some parties where it wasn't required for him to wear his royal garments.

Dressing quickly, he searched through the drawers of his dresser until he found the white half mask that he wore to masquerade balls. He put it on and surveyed himself in the mirror. Unless someone was to really study him up close, they would never be able to tell that it was him.

So now here he was on the moon, making his way through the crowd toward the castle. When he saw how jam packed the entrance was, he turned and made his way along the side of the building. His many trips here had taught him a lot about the layout of the castle, so he knew of other entrances.

He reached the back and was making his toward a small door that mostly servants used when he heard a sigh come from somewhere above him. He retreated into the shadows cast by a group of hedges growing here and looked up to the balcony above.

There stood his princess in all her radiant glory. She was standing there with her hands clasped together as she gazed longingly at the Earth. There was a suspicious glimmer in her eyes that looked like tears. He felt a tug at his heart and he knew she must be wondering where she was.

"Serenity" he called out softly, not wanting to startle her.

She looked around, trying to find where the voice was coming from. It took a moment for her to locate his form in the shadows.

"Endymion, is that you?" she asked hopefully.

He took a few steps forward so that she would be able to see him. He had removed his mask so his face was visible.

"My apologies on being late princess." he said as he gazed up at her.

She let out a sigh of relief. "I was afraid that you might not be able to attend."

He gave her a cocky grin. "I made a promise didn't I? And I always follow through when I give my word."

A voice was heard from inside. "Serenity where are you?"

"I'll see you inside." she said as she retreated back toward the doors that led back into the castle.

"Where have you been? You're neglecting your guests and missing your own party." the voice of Princess Minako of Venus floated down to him.

He smiled as he stole back over to the door and let himself in. Once inside, he quickly made his way toward the crowded ballroom. After several minutes of fighting his way through the crowd, he saw Serenity making her way down the wide stairway.

As quickly as he could, he made his way over to the bottom of the stairs. He stood over to one side and grabbed the hand that she had trailing down the banister as she reached the end of the staircase.

"Princess, may I have this dance?" he asked as he gave a low bow.

Even with the mask covering most of his features, she had no trouble recognizing his voice. She gave a wide smile. "It would be my pleasure."

He led her out onto the dance floor and took her into his arms. They began to sway gently to the music. It didn't take long before they were both lost not only in each other's gaze, but in the music also. They were both very accomplished dancers, and Endymion enjoyed twirling her around the floor.

When the song ended, he took in the sight of her flushed face and led her over to the doors that led out onto a wide terrace. The cool night breeze was refreshing, and they both breathed deeply.

He turned to look at the woman standing next to him. The lights coming from the ballroom illuminated her features and gave her an almost surreal glow. Thankfully the terrace was deserted at the moment, for Endymion couldn't help himself. He brought his lips to hers in a kiss that was more passionate than anything that they had shared together so far.

She timidly responded at first and then grew bolder as the kiss went on. Her hands traveled up his arms to his shoulders, and then wrapped around his neck where her fingers found their way into his silken ebony locks.

His tongue entered her mouth where it stroked against hers. She gave a small whimper, and he reveled in the sound of her delight. But common sense soon prevailed, and he pulled back slightly to look into her starry eyes. Her cheeks were still flushed and her parted lips were slightly swollen from his kisses."

"I can't take it anymore." he groaned as he leaned his forehead against hers. "When will be a good time to speak to your mother? I want to let her know my intentions so we can be married as soon as possible."

A voice came from behind them. "Well how about right now. I'm listening."

They turned to find Queen Serenity standing there eying the two of them.

"Mother, how long have you been there?" Serenity asked in a nervous voice.

"Long enough." the queen replied. "Serenity, Endymion, follow me."

Hand in hand they followed her, but she didn't lead them back through the ballroom. Instead they went to another door and down a short hallway to a set of stairs that led up. When they emerged on the next floor, Endymion realized that they were in the private wing of the castle where the royal's chambers were.

The Queen halted outside the doors that led to her private sitting room and spoke quietly to the two guards standing there. They bowed and retreated as Queen Serenity opened the door.

"Inside, both of you, now." she commanded as she waved them in.

They entered the room with the queen and remained standing, hands still clasped together as they watched Queen Serenity pace back and forth in front of the fireplace.

She finally stopped and turned to them. "Please take off that mask Endymion. I want to see your face as we are speaking."

He removed the mask from his face. "Your Majesty, how did you know it was me?"

The queen let out a short laugh. "How could I not? I have known you since birth. I also know that my daughter doesn't dance at balls unless it is absolutely required of her. So when I saw the two of you together, it wasn't hard to figure out. What's more is I wasn't the only one to notice and put the pieces together."

There was a knock at the door before it opened and admitted two people into the room. It was a man and a woman. Both of them were masked for attending the ball, but there was something familiar about them.

Queen Serenity sighed. "Well you my as well take your masks off too. It seems that the entire royal family from earth is in attendance tonight."

Endymion and Serenity gaped as the couple removed their masks to reveal the Earth King and Queen Althea.

"Father, Mother, why…?" Endymion began.

"They are here at my request." Queen Serenity responded. "I had some issues that I wanted to speak about with them, and it was easy to sneak them in with such a large crowd of people here."

The king stepped forward. "Endymion, the important question is what are you doing here? I thought I made myself perfectly clear that you were not to come here."

Endymion met his father's gaze head on. "Yes father, and I am sorry for disobeying you. But you have always taught me to be true to myself and to go after what I want."

Queen Althea dropped down onto the sofa murmuring, "No, no, no. Don't say it Endymion, for it can not be."

He looked at his mother. "I'm sorry mother, but I love Serenity and I want her for my wife. To hell with superstitious prophecies and the radicals. I refuse to give up what I want in life because of them."

The king sat down next to his wife and surveyed his son with sorrowful eyes. "If only it were that easy my son. But there are so many things to be taken into account. It's not just that group of witches and sorcerers we have to worry about. They have poisoned people's minds against this idea, both on earth and here. If you two were to wed, it would not only lead to rebellion, but both of your lives would constantly be in danger. You say you love her, but do you want to see her dead with her life's blood pouring from her body? Because that is a very probable thing if you continue with this foolishness."

Endymion's eyes had darkened at this. He seemed to be seriously thinking about what his father had just said. Then he shook his head. "I would protect her with my life. If anyone tried to get to her, they would have to go through me first."

Queen Althea's eyes were filled with tears. "I don't want to see anything happen to either one of you. It is for the best if you both just forget about this."

"Absolutely." Queen Serenity said. "Serenity, you will retire to your chambers now. Princess Haruka and Princess Michiru should be there waiting for you. They have both extended an invitation for you to spend some time visiting with them on Uranus and Neptune."

Serenity clung tighter to Endymion's hand. "You're sending me away?

"In the light of these recent events, I believe it is for the best." Queen Serenity said.

The princess dropped her gaze to the floor for a moment. When she looked back up a minute later, her eyes were shining with the light of battle. "No. I won't go." she stated.

The queen was taken off guard. "What did you say?" she asked, stunned.

Serenity stepped in front of Endymion and raised her head proudly. "I said I'm not going mother. Sending me away won't change my feelings. You married Papa for love, and that is what you always said you wanted for me. Now that I have found it, I'm not giving it up."

Endymion smiled inwardly. He had always known that Serenity's calm demeanor hid a fiery spirit, and right now his princess looked ready to take on an entire army by herself. He felt his love for her swell at her passionate declaration.

The queen looked bewildered. "But Serenity…"

"No mother." the princess demanded. "We will find a way to be together. Even if we have to go far away, I'm not backing down. This is what I want."

Endymion came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "I want this too. We are going to be together. I will take us away to the farthest corner of the galaxy if I have to."

Their parents eyed them with trepidation. Queen Serenity spoke first. "We have much to discuss. I ask that the two of you leave us. Do not return to the ball. I hate to think what would happen if someone were to discover the two of you together."

Serenity grabbed Endymion's hand and quickly dragged him into the hallway before she collapsed against his chest. He could feel her body shaking against him.

"Hey" he breathed against her ear. "Cheer up. We've got them thinking now."

She lifted scared blue eyes to his own gaze. "I won't be sent away. I won't. I just want to be with you. Does this make me a bad person?"

Endymion chuckled at that question. "My love, you are the most giving and unselfish person I have ever met. I say that if anyone ever called you a bad person, they must be blind."

She smiled and quickly reached up to land a short but sweet kiss against his lips. She then took his hand again and began to lead them down the hall.

"Come this way." she said to him. "If mother doesn't want us seen, then my sitting room should be the safest place or us."

He willingly followed behind her until they reached another set of doors engraved with carvings of the moon in its different stages. She opened them quickly and ushered him inside.

The doors had barely closed behind them when Endymion felt the weight of her body against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as he felt her still trembling body against him.

He kissed the crown of her head as he whispered, "You were amazing."

She gave a nervous giggle. "I was so scared. I have never defied my mother in anything before. But I wasn't going to let her come between us."

A knock sounded at the door followed by several voices.

"Come on Sere. We know you're in there."

"Yeah, open up."

"Don't make me blast this door down."

"Princess, please let us in."

Serenity sighed and opened the door to reveal her best friends and guardians. However, they weren't alone. Behind them stood Endymion's guards as well. She waved them all in.

"You may as well come in." she said. "I'm sure you've heard everything by now."

Rei exploded. "You bet we have. What were you two thinking? Anyone could have discovered who you were with Serenity. Of all the stupid…"

Jadeite laid a hand on her shoulder. "Calm yourself Lady Mars. What's done is done."

"He's right Rei. We can't change what has already happened." Makoto said.

Nephrite grumbled, "Not like we could have stopped it."

"A little more tact may have been advised though." Zoicite commented.

"Yes." Ami said. "A crowded ballroom may not have been the best choice."

Endymion threw his hands in the air. "Well maybe not, but going through traditional channels wouldn't work in this case."

"He's right." Serenity interjected. "Mother would have never granted him an audience if he had asked. We had to act secretly."

"Just like you have been doing for the past year." Kunzite said. "I knew something like this would happen. Maybe we shouldn't have covered for you two."

Serenity let out a growl of frustration as she turned to the final member of the group. "Well what about you Minako? Aren't you going to jump in and tell us how irresponsible we've acted?"

The Venusian princess turned her eyes to her cousin. "No." she whispered. "You two are doing the right thing."

"What?!" the startled exclamation was heard throughout the room.

Minako nodded. "It's true. Being born of the royal line of Venus and a descendant of Aphrodite, I can tell when two people are soul mates. And you two have an unbelievably strong bond. It could do more harm than good to keep you apart."

After conversing for a while longer they all left for their own rooms. Endymion and his parents had been given rooms close by to keep them from prying eyes, and he was glad to know his princess was nearby.

The next morning he was shocked when his parents and the moon queen informed him and Serenity of their willingness to let them marry as long as no one but them and their immediate guard were aware of it. I wasn't the best of solutions, but at least they could be together as often as possible and they wouldn't have to leave their duties to their kingdoms.

The word was put out that the earth and the moon were resuming their communications for negotiations for a peaceful alliance, but no mention of the former arrangement between the prince and princess was made. Inhabitants of the earth and the moon seemed to accept this with little fuss, as the two young royals were rarely seen in each other's presence.

In what seemed to be a short amount of time, arrangements were made for a private ceremony to take place in the temple at Elysian. Endymion stood in the rose garden there as he took Princess Serenity as his wife.

The next few months flew by as the two of them went about their duties in their respective kingdoms. They managed to sneak away several times a week to spend time together in Elysian. The time difference there gave them the added bonus of being able to spend several hours together without being missed in the outside world.

Endymion arrived one day for a prearranged visit with his wife only to be surprised not to find her flying down the steps of the palace into his waiting arms. Thinking this was unusual because she usually beat him there, he made his way inside.

He greeted Helios, a close friend and son of the high priest of Elysian. After exchanging pleasantries for a few minutes, the prince inquired about his wife's whereabouts.

"I saw her heading out toward the gardens a couple of hours ago." Helios replied. "She may still be out there and unaware of your arrival. She might have fallen asleep. She looked tired and pale when I saw her, but she assured me she was fine."

Anxious now to find his wife and make sure she was okay, Endymion hastily made his farewell to the young priest and made his way out into the garden. He searched for several minutes before spotting her resting under a tree on a small hill a short distance away.

He made his way toward her and came to a halt. He took a moment to observe his sleeping wife without her being aware of it. Her cheeks flushed from sleep and the soft swell of her breasts rising and falling as she breathed gave her a look of pure innocence.

Endymion smirked as he thought about how easy it was to erase her innocent façade and release her passionate nature when they were alone together. His timid princess had blossomed since their marriage and proved to be his match, both in and out of the bedroom.

His face grew concerned however as he looked closer at her. Beneath the flush on her face, she appeared to be paler than usual. There were light lavender shadows under her eyes that indicated a lack of sleep.

He sat down beside her and reached a hand out to her cheek where he traced the dried trails left by tears she must have shed earlier.

The thought that she had been upset troubled him greatly. One part of him wanted to wake her immediately and find out what was causing her to be upset, but another part of him didn't want to disturb her rest when she seemed like she desperately needed it. He carefully changed their positions around until she was sitting in his lap and cradled lightly in his arms.

She didn't awaken, but burrowed unconsciously closer into his body. Endymion relaxed and just savored the feel of her slight weight against him. They remained that way for a while, and Endymion was close to dozing off as well when he felt her stirring in his embrace.

He looked down as she opened her sleep-clouded eyes. She blinked a few times and then gave him a sleepy smile.

"Hi." she whispered softly. "How long have you been here?"

He returned her smile. "A little while. You looked so peaceful that I thought I would let you finish your nap."

She wound her arms around his neck and snuggled up closer to him. Her head was resting against his shoulder and he could fell her breaths lightly brushing his neck.

"So are you going to tell me what's bothering you, or am I going to have to drag it out of you?" he asked.

She pulled back to look at him. "What do you mean?"

He blew out a breath. "Come on Sere. You look like you haven't slept in days and you can't hide the fact that you've been crying. Something's wrong and I want to know what. Is something wrong on the moon?"

She slid off his lap to sit beside him. She began twirling her hair absently around her finger, a dead giveaway to her nervousness. Her eyes widened and held a faraway glassy look.

He reached forward and took her hands in his. This helped strengthen the bond that they had discovered existed between them. He almost recoiled when he felt the raw panicked desperation that was coming from her.

This disturbed him greatly. "Sweetheart, what is it? Whatever's wrong, I'll help you. You know that."

She pulled her hands away and stood. He also rose and watched her as she began pacing. She had a thoughtful, yet serious look on her face as if she was trying to figure out how to say what was on her mind.

After a few minutes she stopped and turned to face him. "Nothing's wrong, exactly. I just…It's complicated…I don't…Oh Endy!" She threw herself into his arms as tears began flooding her eyes.

He held her as she sobbed against his chest, her tears wetting the front of his shirt. He rubbed her back as he tried to comfort her. After a while, her sobs subsided into hiccups and her breathing calmed to a more normal level.

He felt her rise onto her tiptoes and then felt her breath against his ear as she whispered, "I'm pregnant."

He mentally shook his head, sure that he had misunderstood her. He looked down at the bowed golden head and reached down to tip her face up to meet his. He looked into the watery cerulean depths of her eyes and read the truth there.

He was stunned into silence for a moment before a sense of elation swept through him. He was going to be a father! He gripped Serenity by the waist as he spun her around while laughing with joy.

Serenity gasped. "Endy, put me down. Please."

She had an edge to her voice, so he did as she asked. He stopped spinning and sat her back on her feet, grinning madly at her the entire time.

She looked a little green. "Have you lost your mind?"

He threw back his head and laughed. "Just a moment of temporary insanity love. Wow, a baby. I hope it's a little girl just like you."

Serenity gaped at him. "You mean you're not upset?"

Endymion shook his head. "No, never. I love you. And now we'll have a child born of that love."

"But Endy." Serenity said wide-eyed. "We can't even tell anyone that we are married. How are we going to explain this?"

"We'll think of something." he reassured her. "It might not be ideal, but we'll figure out a way."

The months passed as Endymion watched Serenity swell with the child growing inside of her. When she entered Elysian for her exile, he was with her every moment he could. As she slept next to him at night, he would lay his hand on her stomach and feel the movements of the tiny being stirring around inside its nest.

When the day came that the princess went into labor, the prince stayed by her side. The women in attendance tried to get him to leave, but there was no way he was leaving her alone. Even if both of his hands felt broken from her squeezing them.

Just as the sun set and the shadows of twilight filled the land, the baby was born. Over it's strong cries, Princess Ami announced, "Congratulations, it's a girl."

She carried the baby over to a table to clean her up as Endymion swept down to brush a kiss against his wife's damp forehead. "You did it my love."

She smiled sleepily at him as she took one of his swollen hands in hers. "Sorry that I squeezed so tightly."

He brushed her hair back from her face. "That's okay. I can fix that right up." A golden glow encompassed him as he called on the healing power of his crystal. A few moments later, his hands were good as new.

"Show off." Serenity muttered under her breath. She closed her eyes as she began to glow silver, her crystal healing the ravages of childbirth. She let out a sigh of relief. "Much better."

Ami walked over to them carrying a crying blanket wrapped bundle. The other princesses, Minako, Rei, and Makoto, stood behind her as she placed the bundle in Serenity's arms. "Your daughter, my princess."

As soon as Serenity wrapped her arms around the baby, the crying stopped. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "She must know who I am." Then she giggled. "You didn't have to stop that wonderful melody of your cries just because I'm holding you."

Endymion looked down in awe at his daughter snuggled tightly in his wife's embrace. Looking at the soft blonde fuzz that covered her head, he felt as sense of déjà vu. It was like the first time he had seen Serenity when she was a baby. Just as he had then, he reached a hand out to the infant.

As he trailed a finger lightly down her cheek, the little princess opened her eyes to reveal not her mother's sky blue gaze, but his own deep, midnight blue eyes. She seemed to stare at both of her parents for a minute before her little face scrunched up and she let loose with a new round of cries.

Everyone laughed as Serenity began to rock her daughter to calm her. Ami pulled out her computer where she was fabricating a new identity for the newest royal so that no one would know who her parents were. She entered in the date and time of birth along with all the other information. She then turned to the prince and princess.

"Okay." she explained. "I have made it so it appears that both of her parents are deceased. This way we can take her into the moon kingdom as an orphan. I had to put the truth about her blood type in the medical files, so I made her father lunarian and her mother terran. That should cover that, but I still need a name for the little princess."

Endymion and Serenity looked at each other for a moment. The baby's cries had subsided, but Endymion thought about what Serenity had said a few minutes before about the melody of her cries.

"What about Melody?" he asked his wife.

She smiled brightly. "Melody, I like that. Melody Rose."

"Rose?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." she replied. "Because the roses helped bring us together. Melody Rose. That's her name Ami."

There was a flash of sudden light as a symbol flared to life on the newborn princess's brow. It was a crescent moon, but unlike her mother's, hers was silver and turned to the side where it was shot through with a golden rose.

Gasps were heard around the room as the Golden Crystal and the Silver Crystal emerged from the prince and princess to hover over the infant. Then power began flowing from both crystals and combined together.

The gold and silver power swirled around together, each seeming to fight for dominance. Then in another flash of light, it began to pulse a deep sapphire blue. When the light faded, there was a small star shaped crystal.

The crystal floated down where it was absorbed into the tiny body as the other crystals were taken back into their carrier's bodies.

There was absolute silence in the room. They all just looked at each other for several moments before anyone dared to speak.

"What just happened?" Minako whispered.

"I'm not sure." Makoto said hoarsely.

Rei gasped. "Her aura, it's incredible."

Ami began clicking away on her computer, muttering to herself. "This can't happen. It's impossible."

"Now you know what the prophecy spoke of." said a voice from the doorway. They all turned to see Setsuna, Haruka, and Michiru standing there. The earth generals were behind them looking as dumbfounded as everyone else.

Setsuna was the one who had spoken. She stepped into the room followed by the others. As she approached the bed where the baby was dozing contentedly in her mother's arms, she transformed into Sailor Pluto.

She ran her hand softly over the sleeping baby's head. As she did, the glowing symbol on Melody's brow faded and vanished. Then she spoke in a quiet voice. "The prophecy has been fulfilled. You have two futures ahead of you little princess. You will either save this galaxy, or be its demise."

She dropped to her knees before continuing. "I pledge my loyalty to you little one. This is a heavy burden that you have been born to carry, but I swear by the planet Pluto that I will help guide and serve you as I do your mother. And when the time comes, I hope you choose the future that gives us a favorable outcome."

Haruka and Michiru transformed also and bowed to pledge their loyalty. The other princesses also assumed their scout forms and made a pact to protect and guide the princess.

After they had risen, the generals stepped forward and kneeled at Endymion's feet.

"My prince." Kunzite spoke. "We promise to serve your daughter as we do you. No harm shall befall this child while we are present."

They all gave a salute of loyalty to their prince and then bowed to Serenity and Melody.

Ami began shooing everyone out of the room. "Okay everybody, let's give the new parents a chance to bond with their new arrival. Plenty of time to visit later."

They all left and Endymion settled himself on the bed next to his wife and daughter.

Serenity smiled shyly at him. "Would you like to hold her?"

Endymion visibly gulped. Melody looked so fragile and tiny in her mother's arms. He was afraid he would do something to hurt her. "I don't know Sere…what if I break her or something."

She laughed. "Don't be ridiculous Endy. Just cradle your arms like this."

Before he knew it, he was holding that small, warm bundle in his arms. Melody's eyes opened, and as he stared into the midnight depths so like his own, he felt a sense of peace and completeness that he had never felt before. He bowed his head and brushed a tender kiss against her forehead.

"I promise my little girl. Your daddy will always be here to take care of you. You will grow up to be a strong woman just like your mother." he whispered to her.

He raised eyes, shining with tears to meet Serenity's also teary gaze. No words were needed as the three of them shared the loving moment.

The next few years passed in a blur of memories. There were holidays, visits to the moon, and of course the precious time spent in Elysian.

On a warm afternoon, Endymion was sitting on what he now fondly referred to as his and Serenity's hill. He had been able to get away from home earlier than expected, and was waiting for Serenity and Melody to join him.

It pained him to be separated from either one of them for any length of time, and if he could, he would love to take Melody back to stay with him for a while on Earth. But that would raise too many eyebrows. It was easier for everyone to accept that she was Serenity's _adopted_ daughter, so she stayed on the moon with her mother.

He sat leaning up against the trunk of the large tree behind him and closed his eyes as he listened to the sounds of the wind blowing through the leaves and birds chirping. His highly sensitive hearing also picked up on other noises. There was something that sounded like soft shuffling footsteps, and then one that sounded like a muffled giggle.

He kept his face blank, but inside he was smiling, knowing what was coming next. The footsteps drew closer and picked up in speed. Suddenly a slight weight hit his side and small arms were around his neck. He fell over to the side, taking his attacker with him.

He heard laughter that was like the tinkling of bells and opened his eyes to look into his daughter's bright twinkling eyes.

"I got you Daddy!" she beamed at him as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

Endymion grinned back at her. "Yes you did you little munchkin. But now it's my turn."

He rolled over until he had the tiny body trapped on the ground and began to place well-aimed tickles on her ribs.

She shrieked through her laughter. "Daddy stop. That tickles."

They were both gasping and laughing when Serenity came upon them. "Young lady, what have I told you about sneaking off like that? I swear if you pull one more stunt like that, I will lock you in your room for this entire visit."

Melody hung her head and mumbled. "Sorry Momma. But you were busy talking to Aunt Minako, and I saw Daddy through the window and he looked lonely. So I thought I would come keep him company."

Serenity blew out an exasperated breath. "Yes, I knew your daddy was out here. But I asked you to wait for one moment while I took care of some business. Next thing I knew, you were gone."

Seeing the serious look one his wife's face made Endymion stifle his grin. "Melody, you know you should listen to your mother and do what she tells you. If she asked you to wait for a moment, then you should have."

"But Daddy" she whined. "All they were talking about was Uncle Kunzite kissing Aunt Minako. What was so important about that?"

Endymion couldn't help it. He started to laugh, but tried vainly to choke it back when Serenity leveled a murderous glare on him.

"Anyhow, you do what I tell you to." Serenity continued.

"I know, I know, it's for my own good." Melody finished her mother's statement.

"Your mother's right, munchkin. Now, how about we go see if dinner's ready." Endymion said as he ruffled his daughter's curly blonde hair.

"Okay." she cried as she took off down the hill toward the palace.

He smiled after her as he took Serenity in his arms. "Tough week?" he asked.

She sighed. "You have no idea. She disappears every time I turn around. Once she even snuck out when Luna was going over her lessons with her. When I found her an hour later playing with some other children in the garden. She said it was more fun than learning how to read."

Endymion chuckled and Serenity swatted his arm. "I'm serious Endy. Each time she vanishes I'm afraid that someone has discovered who she is and it frightens me to death to think that they have taken her. The other day one of the older boys in the castle was picking on one of the younger girls, and she marched right over there and shoved him out of the way. I don't know what he said to her, but she started glowing with a blue light. I ran over and grabbed her up before anything happened, but if she had released her power it would have been chaotic."

Now Endymion was concerned. "She's lashing out with her crystal?"

Serenity shook her head. "Not intentionally. I think it's more of a reflex than anything. She has no idea of the power she carries, but her crystal reacts to her moods and tries to protect her. Setsuna has been taking her into the time plane to teach her how to control it, but she's just a little girl."

"I know." he murmured. "She's a smart kid though. She knows it's important to keep her powers and identity a secret."

Serenity stiffened and pulled away from him. "I've been thinking about that. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before she slips up, and that's going to cause a lot of questions. I think it might be for the best if I let everyone know she really is my daughter."

Endymion's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well," she replied. "That way if something happens everyone will just think that her crystal came from mine."

"And who will you say her father is?" Endymion growled.

Serenity pulled herself up haughtily. "That information will remain secret. Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of dragging your name into this. I want to keep the peace, not start a war. But you can't deny that Melody is a ticking time bomb that could go off at any time."

"Soo…" he drawled. "You get to publicly announce that Melody is your daughter, out of wedlock no less, and I just get to sit on the sidelines and play dumb?"

Serenity gave a short cold laugh. "Oh please Endymion, I hardly think that this would impact your life too much. You have a nice full life on Earth, so what does it matter if people will gossip about the moon princess's bastard child?"

Endymion saw red as she said that. He stepped forward and grabbed her roughly by the arms, giving her a hard shake. "Don't you ever talk about our daughter like that!" he exploded.

Serenity stared up at him with a coldness in her eyes that he had never seen. She seemed like a totally different person. This was not his warm, loving princess. Realizing he was still gripping her arms, he let go and took a step back.

"What's wrong with you Sere?" he asked quietly. "Why would you even be thinking the way you are?"

Serenity sniffed. "Does the name Beryl mean anything to you?"

Endymion froze. He had had several run ins with the red headed witch since their first encounter by the lake. She was constantly plaguing him with _accidental_ meetings and trying to get him into compromising situations.

Just last week he had come home from a training exercise with the generals and had been surprised to find a scantily clad Beryl in his room. He had been in the process of showing her none too gently to the door when a maid entered the room. Beryl had seized the opportunity and had thrown herself into the prince's arms in a passionate embrace. The poor maid stammered an apology and swiftly left.

Of course palace gossip spread like wildfire, and it seemed that the story had found it's way to the moon court as well.

"It's not what you think Serenity." he said.

She gave a bitter laugh. "A half naked woman is in my husband's room, and in his arms no less. What else am I supposed to think?"

"You just don't get it." he yelled. "She's after me. Everywhere I go she keeps popping up like a bad dream. It's driving me crazy."

"And you didn't think that maybe your wife should know about this?" Serenity asked.

He sighed. "You've got so many other things going on, that I didn't want to burden you with it."

Serenity turned away from him. He heard her take a shaky breath in before her soft question reached him. "Are you sorry you married me?"

His eyes widened. "What? No! Absolutely not. Where would you get an idea like that?"

Her shoulders were shaking slightly now and her voice was thick with tears as she answered. "I know our situation is different. Other married couples get to be with each other everyday. They live together, eat together, and sleep together. We're lucky if we get to see each other once every two weeks. Now we have Melody to consider too. Sometimes I think you would have been better off if I had kept my mouth shut in the garden that night. Then maybe you would have been able to find a princess who would have been able to share your life with you the way you deserve." Her voice broke off on a sob.

Endymion was in shock as he listened to what his wife was saying. The sound of her cries was like knives being thrust into his heart. He quickly crossed to her and scooped her up in his arms.

"Hey" he whispered to her, "Don't you know that you and Melody are my world. I don't think I would be able to survive without you two. I know we don't get a lot of time together, but I cherish every moment of it. If it's bothering you that much, I'll go public with our relationship right now. I would do anything for you Sere. That's how much I love you."

She raised her eyes to his face. "You would do that?"

He gave her a crooked grin. "In a heartbeat. And don't worry about Beryl. There's nobody for me but you."

Serenity frowned at the mention of that woman. "So you've never…you know?" her voiced trailed off.

"Never." he said with a shake of his head. "Oh she's tried, but she's nothing when compared to you."

"Okay" she sighed. "I trust you. But if I ever meet her, I just may have to kill her."

Endymion chuckled. "I never knew you could be so blood thirsty."

"When it comes to you I can be." she grinned.

He sat her on her feet and took her hand. "I guess we better go see what our little hellion is up to. There may not be any food left by the time we get there."

Serenity giggled. "I would hope that Minako would be nice enough to save us a little something."

"Speaking of which, what did she come for? Does she doubt my ability to keep you safe while you're here?" he asked with a mock glare.

She sighed dramatically. "Of course not. Everyone knows that you are a big strong man, but surely you can't have missed the fact that there has been something going on between my guards and yours for quite some time now."

"Oh, so that's how it is." he drawled. "They've decided to intrude on our little sanctuary for their own purposes."

"Appears that way." Serenity agreed. "But who are we to judge them?"

Endymion nodded his head. "True."

They began to make their way toward the palace hand in hand. But after their confrontation, Endymion couldn't help but feel that a void had begun to open between them.

The next two years seemed to confirm his suspicion that he and Serenity were growing apart.

Civil unrest had broken out on Earth between Beryl's radicals and the rest of the communities that remained faithful to the crown. The psychotic witch had publicly announced that she intended to fully rule the Earth someday. There were rumors that she had been possessed by an ancient evil being and that they were working together.

There had even been a couple of attempts by the radicals to attack the moon, but Endymion and his army had been able to beat them back before any harm was done.

The moon kingdom was also having its share of problems. A small system just outside of their galaxy had been denied entrance into the Silver Millennium by Queen Serenity, and they had retaliated by launching several attacks throughout the solar system, luckily none of them had come close to the moon yet, but it just reinforced Beryl's followers in believing that the moon should be destroyed.

Due to the problems that they were plagued with, it would sometimes be a few months before Serenity and Endymion would be able to get away to see each other. And when they were able to get away to Elysian, the tension between them was so intense that arguments seemed to always be springing up between them.

One night Endymion was sitting in the gardens of Elysian by the fountain where he and Serenity had exchanged their vows. It had been over three months since he had seen his wife or his daughter, and he was anxious to see them both.

He stared at the small statue that bore the resemblance of his daughter. One of the young priests in training here in Elysian was quite a gifted artist, and Endymion had commissioned him to make the statue. The artist had done a beautiful job and had followed the prince's instructions perfectly.

One day Endymion had been walking through the garden when he had come across his daughter standing very still with her arm stretched out. A small butterfly had landed on her palm and was resting there, gently opening and closing its wings. They stayed that way until a slight breeze encouraged the butterfly to be on its way.

Melody had then turned to him. Her tousled blonde curls shining brightly under the sun and her blue eyes alight with wonder. A gapped toothed smile stretched across her face. "Did you see that daddy? It came right up to me. I think butterflies are the best animals in the world.

And indeed, her fascination with the insects was born. She would spend hours looking for them and even more hours drawing them. He had a drawer full of her creations at home in a drawer.

"Daddy!" he heard an excited voice cry out. He turned and saw a small body hurtling quickly toward him down the path. He opened his arms as she leapt at him, her bell like laughter ringing out as he spun her around.

He came to a stop and sat her back on her feet as he looked around for the second person he expected to come leaping into his arms. Instead he spotted Serenity standing about ten feet away, looking at him with a carefully casual expression on her face.

He felt a cold shiver at her lack of emotion. There had been a time when she would have come running toward him as Melody had and thrown herself at him. But it seemed that every time he saw her, they seemed further apart.

"Hello Serenity" he greeted her formally.

A spark of emotion shown in her eyes. "Endymion" she responded softly.

He walked closer to her. "How have you been?"

"As well as can be expected under the circumstances." she replied. "How about you? I heard that you have been in several battles recently."

He held his arms out. "Still whole and healthy."

"That's good." she murmured.

Endymion was beginning to lose his temper at her unenthusiastic replies. He reached out and put a hand under her chin, forcing her eyes up to meet his.

Her eyes widened in panic as she met his angry ones. She quickly jerked away and put several feet between them.

"What's wrong Serenity? Why won't you even look at me?" Endymion demanded.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." she stammered.

Now he was livid. "The hell you don't. We haven't seen each other in over three months and you're pulling away from me like I have some kind of a disease. Damn it! I want to know what is bothering you. I swear I don't know who you are anymore. I married a warm loving woman, but now you've turned into this cold shell that I don't even recognize anymore."

Suddenly a small voice piped up nearby. "Are you two going to fight again?"

They both turned to stare at their daughter, who was watching both of them with sad eyes.

"No sweetie. Mommy and Daddy are just talking about adult things. Why don't you go find Aunt Rei and let her take you to get a snack from the kitchen, okay?" Serenity said, brushing blonde curls back from the girl's face.

The young princess heaved a sigh. "Fine, it's not like I haven't heard all about that fat, ugly king that wants to marry you anyway. I wish he would just go away. He can't marry you anyway because you're already married to daddy."

Endymion and Serenity both froze as they heard the words coming from Melody's mouth. The silence held as they watched her form skipping back toward the palace in search of Rei.

Endymion finally ground out the words that were stuck in his throat. "What did she mean by that?"

Serenity sank down onto a bench while staring at the ground. "King Alturo from the neighboring solar system has promised to help us fight against the rebels that mother denied entry into the Alliance, if I agree to become his wife. The leaders of the other planets are clamoring for this union, and they don't understand why I'm not jumping at the chance."

Well of course they didn't. None of them knew that the princess was already married, so therefore was unable to commit to a union with the king.

"It gets worse." she continued. "Yesterday there was a skirmish in the outer solar system. Haruka and Michiru were both killed."

Emotions finally sprang to her eyes along with her tears. Choking sobs escaped from her as she grieved for her friends that had been so needlessly taken by death.

Endymion sat down beside her and pulled her into his lap as he embraced her tightly, trying desperately to console her.

After a few minutes she quieted. She began to speak again in a whisper. "Both Uranus and Neptune are threatening to withdraw from the Alliance now. They have enough pull to possibly take Pluto and Saturn with them. It would split the galaxy in half."

She took a deep shuddering breath as she continued. "We had a council meeting earlier. I informed them that I would not be even thinking about King Alturo's proposal. The Inner planets are on my side, but the outer planets are demanding that I do my duty and help protect them from outside forces."

Endymion thought about all she had told him before giving her a small smile. "I have an idea. One of the reasons I insisted you meet me today is because my mother wants you, Melody, and your mother to sneak down one night next week. Our daughter has a birthday coming, and my mother wants us all to have a private celebration together."

"But what if we're seen?" Serenity asked.

"All of the staff except for the most trusted will be dismissed for the day. My guards will be there and you can bring yours too. Maybe after we celebrate we can all sit down and find a solution to this problem. Perhaps the time has come for us to announce our marriage. Things are already chaotic anyway." he answered with a grin.

Serenity shook her head. "But what about Melody? This will put her in so much danger when people find out."

He let out a short laugh. "I think she'll be fine with all her _Aunts_ and _Uncles_ around. It would take someone severely psychotic to try to go through them."

She finally smiled and threw her arms around his neck "You're probably right. Oh I feel so much better."

He smiled back at her. "Try not to worry about it right now. I'm sure between my parents, your mother, our friends, and us, we'll come up with something."

She reached up and kissed him tenderly on the lips. It was the first time in a long time that she had initiated any kind of intimate contact with him, and he relished it. He took the initiative and deepened the kiss, hearing the low moans that were coming from deep inside her.

The need for air finally made them part. He stared down at her beautiful face, taking in the clear eyes, flushed cheeks, and swollen lips. She lifted a hand to gently cup his cheek.

"I love you." she whispered softly.

He almost felt blinded by the love shining in her eyes. "I love you too, so much."

"Mommy…Daddy" they heard Melody's voice carried to them on the breeze.

They both laughed quietly as they rose to go to their daughter, feeling that the chasm between them was beginning to close.

**A/N **I don't remember if this is where I had originally meant to end the chapter or not, but it seemed like a good place. The memories for Endymion are coming to a close. Next chapter will be the final day of the moon kingdom and reactions to the memories. I'm so hyped up right now that I'll probably start reconstructing that now instead of going to bed, which is bad because I have work in the morning. But I wanted to at least give you guys another piece of the story. Later!!!

Sere-chan


	12. The End of Memory Lane

**A/N** Okay guys. This is the end of the memories. (At last) We're going to end the trip down memory lane after this and get back to the real story. At the end when I get into the final battle of the moon kingdom, I skip over some details since this is told from Endymion's point of view and we already covered that earlier in the story during Serenity's nightmare. (Refer to chapter 5). Anyway, long chapter and lots of stuff happening, so sit back and I hope you enjoy the ride.

Chapter 11 was my highest hit chapter yet, but my lowest reviewed one. I'm hoping this is just a case of real life intruding on my readers, and not that they are abandoning me. So please, if I'm doing anything wrong let me know. Like I've always said, flames will be extinguished, but constructive criticism can be a wonderful help. Big hugs to:

**xo Usako ox**

**snoopykid**

**KageNoNeko**

**ange de l'aube**

**JmacKarla**

And also thanks to everyone who has added me to their alerts and messaged me. Lots of love to everyone who has supported this story and my other one, What If. Well, enough chattering from me.

_**ENJOY!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 12

The End of Memory Lane

Endymion paced restlessly back and forth across the main hall of the Earth Palace. It seemed like time was moving so slowly as he awaited for the time for the arrival of the party from the moon.

He saw his mother wandering aimlessly around on the other side of the room and knew she was just as anxious as he was for them to appear. She had only seen her granddaughter a handful of times in her entire life. Endymion, of course, kept her up to date on Melody's progress. She also corresponded with Queen Serenity on a regular basis, but it wasn't the same as seeing the girl in person.

The king let out a sigh. "Would you two please calm yourselves. You're making me dizzy with all of your pacing. It's not much longer until they get here."

At that moment the generals walked in accompanied by Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter. The two girls had arrived earlier in the day to confer with the generals and make sure all possible safety measures had been taken.

"We just received word from the moon. The Queen and the princesses will be departing shortly. So I guess we need to make our way to the teleportation platform to meet them." Venus announced.

'_Finally' _Endymion thought to himself. He had been worried all week that some unexpected event would cause this trip to be cancelled. He walked out the doors of the palace and began to make his way toward the platform where his wife and daughter would be arriving.

He and Serenity had spent a comfortable night together when they were last in Elysian. It had felt like a new beginning as they had talked late into the night, getting to know each other all over again. They had both expressed their fears and insecurities to each other before falling into each other's arms and making slow, passionate love for the rest of the night.

They had both been tired the next morning when they said goodbye, but it had been worth it. They had discovered that behind all of their doubts, they still loved each other deeply. They promised that from now on, they would tell each other everything. Together they were going to face all of the adversity that was plaguing the galaxy.

He arrived at the secluded grove where the teleportation site was, the rest of the group behind him. It was only a few minutes later when there was a flash of light. One small figure and four larger ones appeared on the platform.

The small one launched herself off the platform and into Endymion's waiting arms. "We're here daddy." she happily announced.

He threw back his head and laughed. "So I see. Now why don't you go see your grandmother." He sat her back on her feet and watched as Melody ran into Queen Althea's embrace.

He turned to help Serenity down to the ground. She came into his arms with a gentle smile on her face that made his heart jump in his chest.

"I've missed you so much." he whispered to her as he closed his arms around her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. "I've missed you too, my love."

"I hate to break up this happy reunion, but I think it would be best to get inside as quickly as possible." Sailor Venus's voice broke through to them.

Kunzite stepped forward. "I agree. It's too open out here. I will feel better once we are inside the palace."

The group made their way back to the palace, laughing and conversing together. This happy aura continued through the late luncheon they had in honor of Melody's fifth birthday, and continued through the afternoon and into the evening while they visited and played games together.

Later that evening, the young princess was sent to bed so the adults could enjoy a private meal while they spoke of more serious matters. Serenity and Endymion went in to say goodnight and tuck her in before joining the others.

"Goodnight precious." Serenity said as she kissed her daughter's cheek and hugged her close.

Melody hugged her back. "Goodnight Momma."

"Have sweet dreams munchkin." Endymion said as he sat on the edge of the bed before tickling her lightly.

"Daddy, can we ride your horse tomorrow?" she asked.

Endymion hedged, not wanting to get her hopes up only to crush them if things went wrong tonight. "We'll see. A lot could happen between now and then."

She kissed his cheek and he gave her one last hug and tickle.

With the sound of her laughter filling their ears, they left her in her room. There was a maid in the sitting room that adjoined the bedroom and a guard stationed outside the door to the hall. Both of them had been warned about the child's sneaky ways, and had been told to keep an extra close watch on her.

The prince and princess joined the rest and they sat down to a fabulous dinner. They spent most of the time catching up and exchanging news. The biggest story being that Haruka and Michiru had been found severely injured, but alive and not dead as had been feared. Both of them were now resting comfortably in the hospital ward of the moon castle and expected to make a full recovery.

They had almost finished the wonderful meal when the king said, "So, I have been told that someone else wishes to marry my daughter in law. What are we going to do about that?"

Serenity and Endymion looked at each other. At her nod, he turned to face his father. "Well, we've talked about it and thought that maybe we should announce our marriage. Things are already messed up anyway."

The king grew quiet, but his wife asked her best friend, "What do you think Serenity?"

Queen Serenity sighed. "I've been thinking long and hard about this all week. I'm afraid that the Silver Millennium is beginning to crack. I don't know how much longer the planets are going to stay united. I've come to the conclusion that perhaps it is for the best for their relationship to become public knowledge."

The king made a sound of agreement. "If I had known the way things were going to deteriorate, I would have never suggested keeping it a secret. There will be hell to pay for this though."

"Melody's safety will be the biggest concern." Queen Serenity insisted. "Once her existence is known, she will have to be guarded at all times."

Kunzite rose from his seat. "Your Majesty, after discussing this with Princess Minako, we have agreed that both the generals and the sailor scouts are willing to take on the role of protecting not just Endymion and Serenity, but Melody as well."

Minako stood next to him. "Yes Aunt Serenity, we feel it is our duty. After all, she is the heir to two of the largest kingdoms in the galaxy, and we love the little rugrat."

The rest of the generals and scouts nodded their agreement.

The king had a broad smile on his face. "Well, I guess we have reached our decision then. The announcement will be made in a few days."

They were all raising their glasses for a toast when the doors flew open and the maid who had been watching Melody ran wide eyed into the room.

Gasping for breath, she panted, "Your Highnesses, I don't know how she did it, but she's gone. I went to check on her and she's not in her bed."

"I can't believe this." Serenity moaned. "I told her to stay put."

Everyone was jumping from their chairs. The princesses transformed into their scout forms as the generals called upon their powers.

"Everyone spread out, she couldn't have gone too far." Endymion ordered.

Suddenly the palace shook to its very foundation as what felt like an earthquake rocked the ground.

Serenity and Endymion both gasped as their crystals emerged and began glowing brightly. Serenity grabbed the Silver Crystal in her hand and let out a small cry as she fled for the door calling over her shoulder, "She's in the stable."

Endymion grabbed his Golden Crystal and was suddenly flooded with a terror that wasn't his own. He could smell hay and hear the sound of nickering horses.

He flew after Serenity as fast as he could with the others right behind him. She had a good head start though, and was moving faster than he had ever seen a woman move. She beat him to the stable and threw open the doors, he finally caught up to her a few seconds later.

They both ran into the stable yelling their daughter's name desperately, listening for any sound that could be heard over the noise of the spooked animals.

They were frantically searching when Endymion thought he heard a whimper the next aisle over. Grabbing Serenity's hand, he drug her with him around the corner to the next set of stalls.

His big black stallion, Diablo, was standing protectively in front of a small bundle lying on the floor. He approached the horse cautiously, not wanting to spook it. But when the stallion recognized his master's scent, he backed away from the little girl that was curled into a ball.

"Melody!" Endymion exclaimed with relief as he rushed to his daughter's side, still towing Serenity with him. A faint blue glow surrounded the girl.

They both dropped to their knees and reached for her at the same time. The small body shook in their arms and small whimpers were coming from her mouth.

"Honey, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Serenity cried as she visually searched the girl for any injuries.

The rest of the group came up behind them. Sailor Mercury pulled out her computer and scanned Melody.

"Physically she's fine." she reported. "But it seems something scared her pretty bad. Her energy level is low, but that's to be expected after that burst of power she released. Let's get her back inside and then I can examine her more closely."

Endymion picked his daughter up with one arm and wrapped the other around his wife. As they all made their way back to the palace, he was aware of the small head resting on his shoulder. She seemed to have fallen asleep, but every now and then a little hiccup like sob would escape her.

He climbed the stairs to her room and laid her gently on the bed before Mercury began shooing everyone except the two queens out of the room. Endymion and Serenity began to protest, but Mercury cut them off.

"I'll be able to examine her better without you two hovering over me asking questions. We'll speak when I am done." she firmly stated.

Seeing the wisdom in her words, they withdrew to the adjoining sitting room where everyone else had gathered.

Silence fell over the room, only occasionally being broken by someone wondering aloud as to what had happened.

After what seemed like hours, Mercury and the two grandmothers left from the room. All eyes were upon them as they waited to hear about the princess.

"She's fine." Mercury announced. "She's resting now. She's completely exhausted from using her crystal is all. She woke up once and began mumbling about a bad man in black, but I couldn't make any sense out of it."

"Can we see her?" Serenity asked anxiously.

Mercury nodded. "Of course. She should sleep through the night though."

Everyone began leaving the room now that they knew that Melody was going to be okay. Serenity and Endymion went into the bedroom to check on their sleeping daughter.

The moonlight streaming in through the large windows illuminated the slumbering child. She was curled on her side with one hand tucked up under her chin. Her tumbled golden curls were fanned out over the pillow. She looked so innocent lying there.

Time passed as the parents simply looked at their child. Their bond was so strong that words were not needed. They could feel the emotions running through each others bodies as well as they could their own. Anxiety and relief were the two predominate feelings.

If they concentrated hard enough, they could hear each other's voices whispering reassurances in their heads.

Melody rolled over and squirmed around, trying to find another position. Then her eyes opened. She looked around the room until she spotted her parents watching her. She sat up to face them.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" she muttered.

Serenity let out a shaky laugh, relieved to see her daughter awake and acting like herself. "Yes you are young lady. I specifically told you not to leave this room for any reason."

"I'm sorry, momma. I just got so excited that I might get to ride on Diablo tomorrow, that I just had to go see him."

Serenity just shook her head as she and Endymion went to sit by their daughter.

"What happened out there?" Endymion asked her.

"Well I was telling Diablo about how much fun we could have if we go riding when this strange man came in and started talking to me." she gave a shudder at the memory. "He was dressed all in black and had a hood over his head. He asked me who I was, and I ignored him because momma said I shouldn't talk to strangers. I tried to leave, but he grabbed my arm. When he did, something funny happened."

They both drew in a breath. "What happened?" Serenity asked.

Melody shook her head. "I don't know. Suddenly there was a bright blue light, and then he was gone. Diablo was there, and then you and daddy came."

Serenity and Endymion looked at each other in shock. The thought that someone could just waltz right into the royal stable was unheard of. And from Melody's description of the man and his actions, he didn't sound like one of the stable workers.

Melody let out a huge yawn. "I'm sleepy now." she said closing her eyes.

"Then sleep, my baby." Serenity told her, kissing her forehead.

Endymion brushed a hand over her hair. "Have sweet dreams, sweetheart."

She drifted off to sleep, and they sat there for a while until the door opened and Minako and Kunzite walked in.

"Hey you two, go get some sleep." Minako whispered. "You've had a rough night too. We've all decided to take turns watching her, so get some rest."

They argued quietly for a few minutes until Minako and Kunzite physically herded them from the room.

They stared at the closed door for a moment before turning to each other.

"Well I guess we have our orders." Serenity giggled.

Endymion grinned back. "I guess so."

The fact that there were still servants in the castle had led to Serenity being given a room separate from Endymion in order to protect their secret. But they both knew that they would end up in the same room before the night was over.

Endymion walked her to her door before saying, "I'll be back. I'm going to step outside for a minute to clear my head."

Serenity smiled slyly at him. "I'm going to change. I'll meet you in your room."

"Sounds like a plan." he said, kissing her lightly before heading for the stairs.

He went out into the cool night air and took several cleansing breaths. It had been an eventful evening, and had the promise of more to come.

The thought of his wife waiting for him made him smile as he walked toward the rose garden. He plucked one of the red roses and carefully removed the thorns from the stem. Hopefully bringing her a rose would become a common occurrence once they made their relationship public.

Figuring that he had given her enough time to change, he headed quickly back toward the palace. The closer he got, the faster his steps became. By the time he reached the stairs, he was running. He ran down the hall to his room and opened the door.

His breath caught at the vision in front of him. Serenity was laid out on the bed dressed in a white gown so sheer that he could plainly see the curves of her body beneath it. Her hair was down and flowing all around her. She sat up as he entered and the moonlight from the windows seemed to make her glow.

He walked slowly over to the bed. He held out the rose to her. "For you my beautiful princess."

She gave a giggle that sounded slightly out of place. "Thank you my prince." she said in a husky voice. She took the flower and laid it on the table next to the bed before rising.

Standing in front of him, she carefully slipped the straps of the gown off her shoulders until it fell in a pool of billowy fabric at her feet. Stepping carefully out of it, she closed the distance between them until she could run her hands slowly up his arms.

His mouth went dry as she put her arms around his neck and pulled his lips to hers in a searing kiss. She was definitely in control as her tongue slipped past his lips to rub sensuously against his.

He moaned against her mouth and pulled her naked body tightly against his fully clothed one.

She pulled back slightly and smiled up at him. "I do believe you are wearing far to many clothes my prince. Allow me to help you rectify that." she reached for his belt with eager fingers.

Something about this situation seemed off. While Serenity was a very passionate woman and a giving lover, she rarely ever took total control of their lovemaking. And when she did, she was never this bold or forceful.

He grasped her hand. "What's the hurry my love? We have all night."

"But I need you." she whined.

Endymion did a double take. Serenity never whined. She playfully pouted sometimes, yes. She could raise the roof with wailing and shrieking if she got upset enough. But she never whined.

Endymion pushed her slightly away and stepped back. "Something's not right here."

She stepped back up to him and wrapped her arms around him again. "Of course it's right. We were meant to be, my love."

He was staring down into the depths of her cerulean eyes when it stuck him. The warmth and love that usually shown in those eyes was absent. They were cold and calculating.

"You're not Serenity." he stated roughly.

The woman that was wrapped around him gave a harsh laugh. "Took you long enough to notice Endymion." Before his eyes she turned into Beryl. She took advantage of his shock to fasten her lips to his before he could react. At that moment the door opened.

"Endy are you…" Serenity's voice tapered off as she took in the sight in front of her.

Endymion tore himself away from the red headed witch. His shocked eyes staring at Serenity as she stood frozen in the doorway.

Beryl made a show of turning around and picking up the abandoned gown before draping it over her nudity. "Well, well, looks like you are in high demand tonight Endymion. I didn't realize you had more company lined up after me."

Serenity's face paled stark white for a moment, and then turned bright red with anger. Her fists were clenched and she was beginning to tremble. Suddenly a silver glow began to radiate around her.

Beryl laughed. "He's all yours now sweetie. I'm done with him for the night. I can't say I'm surprised you're here. I always thought there was something going on between the two of you, even after my father's warning. You like to live dangerously, don't you?"

Serenity growled in a menacing voice that Endymion had never heard her use before. "You better back off, bitch. I would like nothing better than to send your pathetic soul straight to hell." the glow around her intensified.

"No need to get so uptight. I know when I'm not welcome." and just like that, she was gone.

Silence reigned for a few moments and then Endymion turned to his wife. "Sere I…"

_Crack!_

The sound of the slap she delivered to his face echoed down the hall as loud as her scream.

"You bastard!"

Endymion froze in surprise. She had slapped him. His Serenity. His love. He heard the distant sound of doors opening as the other occupants of the palace came to investigate the commotion.

Serenity took no notice as she glared fiercely at him, tears of absolute rage glimmering in her eyes. "I can't believe I fell for your lies. You told me that there was nothing between the two of you. And yet I just saw it for myself. How could you do that to me? Especially while I am here."

"Serenity, it's not what you think." Endymion tried to explain.

She let out a hysterical laugh. "So I didn't just see my husband locked in a passionate embrace with another woman? I'm not blind or stupid Endymion. I know what I saw."

She turned to the onlookers. "Don't bother making an announcement of our marriage." she informed the king. "As far as I'm concerned, it's over. Let his radical whore have him. _My daughter_ and I are going home."

With that being said, she stomped back to her bedroom and slammed the door, locking it behind her. Her mother and her guards followed her, but she refused to let anyone in.

"Beryl again?" Kunzite asked, walking up to his prince.

Endymion rubbed the palm print on his cheek as he nodded. "Yeah. She tricked me by taking Serenity's form. I knew something wasn't right and I called her on it. Unfortunately Serenity walked in at an inopportune moment."

"That bitch!" Nephrite cursed.

Jadeite's eyes were snapping flames. "I don't condone violence toward women, but I would love to choke the life from that snake."

Even mild mannered Zoicite was nodding enthusiastically.

Minako joined them. "Just give her some time to cool down. I'll talk to her and we'll get it straightened out."

Everyone began returning to their rooms. Minako and Kunzite went back to check on Melody, who fortunately had slept peacefully throughout the whole ordeal.

Endymion walked over to his wife's bedroom door. He could hear her heart wrenching sobs through the thick wood. Through their bond he could feel her emotions. It was overwhelming. Rage, disgust, betrayal and heartache radiated through him.

He placed his hand on the door. "Sere, please let me in. I can explain, sweetheart. Don't shut me out like this."

No sound came from within the room. He remained outside the door for hours, pleading with her, but received no response. Queen Serenity finally took pity on her son in law. She had talked to the others and had gotten the story of how Beryl had been stalking him. She convinced the prince to let it rest for the night.

"We'll take care of it in the morning." she told him. "You know as well as anyone that Serenity can have a vicious temper when she's upset. Just give her time to calm herself, then you two can work things out."

Unable to return to his room without being haunted by the memories of the scene that had played out there, Endymion took himself downstairs to the study where his father always kept a bottle of whiskey on hand. Pouring himself a large measure of the amber liquid, he downed it in a few gulps. He prayed that the burning liquid would dull the ache in his heart.

He threw himself into an armchair in front of the fireplace and stared unseeingly into the dancing flames. Eventually exhaustion overtook him and he fell asleep, hoping that the morning would bring peace between him and his wife.

Several hours later, he was abruptly shaken awake. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he realized that it was Jadeite who was shaking his shoulder so roughly.

"Damn. What's your problem, Jed?" he grumbled.

Jadeite gave him an exasperated look. "We've been looking everywhere for you. I thought you might like to know that your wife is leaving. The other princesses have been trying to stall her, but she's on her way to the teleportation platform right now."

The words were barely out of his mouth when Endymion took off like the hounds of hell were snapping at his heels. He tore through the palace and out the door, heading for the clearing where the platform was.

He was nearing it when he heard a high-pitched voice wailing, "But momma, I don't want to leave yet. I didn't get to say goodbye to daddy, and he said we might go riding today. I want to stay here. I don't want to go back to the moon."

An irritated voice responded, "Melody Rose, you do what I tell you this instant. I'm not in the mood for your tantrums today. Your father's busy with other things and it's time for us to go home. Now move it."

Endymion rounded the bend and entered the clearing. Serenity was by the platform, holding tightly to Melody's hand as she tried to get the girl up onto it. His heart froze. They were actually leaving.

"Serenity" he called out desperately.

He saw her body stiffen at the sound of his voice, but she refused to turn toward him. Melody took advantage of her mother's distraction and ripped her hand from hers.

"Daddy" she cried as she flew across the clearing toward him. Tears were streaming down her face as he scooped her up into his arms. "Momma says we have to leave, but I don't want to." Her voice trembled as she hugged his neck tightly.

"Shh" he soothed her as he rubbed her back. "Let me talk to her, okay."

Queen Serenity had walked over to them, and Endymion transferred his daughter to her arms. They went over to where the earth king and queen were standing. The scouts and the generals were all split off into pairs sharing their own emotional goodbyes, leaving Serenity alone by the platform

Endymion approached her slowly, but she kept her back to him. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder and saw her visibly flinch at his touch.

"Sere, we need to talk." he said quietly.

She muffled something that sounded like a sniffle. "Go ahead and talk then. I'm sure I've heard it all before."

He took a deep breath. "That bitch tricked me. She looked just like you. But I started to notice that she didn't act like you. I had just figured it out when you came in. I was in shock and she took advantage of it. That's what you saw. I swear to all that is holy that I would never do that to you." he paused, then whispered, "I love you too much to ever hurt you."

Her back was still to him, but her head was bowed and her shoulders were shaking under his hand. He gently turned her toward him, but she continued to stare at the ground.

"Serenity" he begged. "Please look at me."

She raised her red, swollen, tear drenched eyes to his. She cringed as she met his gaze. Her hand came slowly up to lay against his cheek where she had slapped him the night before.

"I'm a monster." she stated as she tried to turn away again.

He tightened his arms and wouldn't let her. "No you're not. You were understandably upset."

Fresh tears pooled in her eyes. "I am a monster. You had told me about what that woman had been doing, and I didn't trust you when I saw the two of you together." She choked out on a sob, "I slapped you. I'm so confused right now."

He held her close. "I know you are, but I promise you this is going to end. I'm not going to let that witch come between us anymore."

She lifted her head at the determination in his voice. "What are you going to do?"

"What I should have done a long time ago." he said, his eyes darkening. "We are going to defeat the radicals and restore peace."

A sinister laugh cut across the clearing, catching everyone's attention. "Do you really think you can accomplish that Prince Endymion?"

Two figures appeared from the trees. One was the slender, red headed Beryl. The other one was tall and was cloaked in black with a hood covering its head.

The generals and the scouts scrambled quickly to make sure all of the royals were protected.

Beryl threw back her head and gave a throaty laugh. "See Talon, what did I tell you? See how they all run to their defense? Just like little worker bees serving their queen."

A male voice came from the shadows of the hood. "So it seems my dear. I also see that you were correct about the moon royals being here as well."

Beryl looked over toward Endymion. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Serenity in his arms. "Well, well. It seems that the little moon twit did pick up where I left off last night. Did she satisfy you Endymion, or did you close your eyes and imagine the pleasures I could have given you? Such a frail, pale replacement. I would have given you passion. I still will if you join me."

Serenity tore herself from her husband and spat, "You bitch! I'll show you passion. You think you've got enough power to take me on, then come on."

Endymion grabbed her arm to restrain her and received a nice little shock for his efforts as her powers began surfacing. But he refused to let go. "No Serenity. Let it go."

The hooded Talon chuckled. "Sounds like the princess has staked a claim on what you want, Beryl. I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you. But that's your business. I have something else I'm interested in."

He turned toward where Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mercury along with Nephrite and Zoicite were guarding Queen Serenity, the Earth monarchs, and Melody.

"Well little one, we meet again." he drawled as he lowered his hood to reveal a man that looked to be somewhere in his mid twenties with dark brown hair. His eyes were onyx black, and they were focused completely on Melody.

"I'm afraid we never got to finish our conversation last night." he said in a conversational tone. "I'm assuming that you must be Princess Serenity's little adopted daughter. That was an impressive little light show you put on while we were in the stable. I was impressed."

Melody cringed back into Queen Serenity's embrace and whimpered softly. Serenity and Endymion began making their way over toward them along with Venus, Kunzite, Mars, and Jadeite.

Serenity was quick to gather her daughter into her arms as Endymion stood protectively beside them.

"No need to be afraid my dear." Talon said. "I'm just curious about some special talents you seem to be in possession of. I could help you learn how to use that power. You could be Queen of the Universe with my help."

Beryl sputtered angrily beside him. "What do you mean? I thought our plan was to get the Silver Crystal from the little moon brat, then we would rule the galaxy together."

"Ah…" Talon sighed. "But would we be together? You seem to have already picked out my replacement. I know you want Endymion by your side, so go ahead. I felt the power of that child last night and I believe she's worth more than ten Silver Crystals."

"Hah" Beryl scoffed. "She's just a useless child. I'm tired of this bickering. Hand over the Silver Crystal now Serenity, and you'll save everyone a lot time and bloodshed."

Serenity shoved Melody into Endymion's arms.

"Sere, what are you doing?" he asked startled.

She smiled at him. "What I can." She called forth her crystal.

Beryl cackled in delight. "I'm so glad you see reason, princess. Now give it to me."

Serenity stared into the witch's eyes with a small smirk on her face. "I don't think so Beryl. Moon Crystal Power!"

The Silver Crystal flared to life with a burst of light energy that blasted both Talon and Beryl back into the woods.

Serenity cut off the attack and spun quickly to the others. "We have to go. It's not safe here. They'll be back soon."

"Where are we going? Home to the moon?" Venus asked.

"No" Endymion said. "Serenity, take Melody and go to Elysian. They can't enter there and you'll be safe."

"What about you?" Serenity protested.

"I'll join you as soon as I can." he reassured her as he handed Melody to her and reprogrammed the teleporter with the secret coordinates for Elysian.

In a matter of moments he had them on the platform and kissed them both quickly before he jumped down. "I'll see you soon." he told them. And then they vanished from sight.

The coordinates were reset for the moon and hasty farewells were made. As soon as Queen Serenity and the scouts were gone, the generals bustled the royal family back to the palace.

When they arrived, Endymion requested a meeting with the generals to begin planning an attack on Beryl, Talon, and their traitorous group.

The next few weeks were grueling. There were several skirmishes and a few large battles between the royal army and the radicals. Losses were heavy on both sides. Some were killed, and some simply vanished.

Among the missing people were the generals. Zoicite had been first, followed soon after by Jadeite and Nephrite. Endymion and Kunzite were trying to hang in there, but it was hard. Endymion was on the brink of collapse. Physical combat was nothing new to him, but some of the people they were fighting were sorcerers from Beryl and Talon's inside group. This made Endymion have to call upon the power of the Golden Crystal a lot more than he would normally, so his energy level was low.

They were on their way back to the palace after successfully defeating a group of the rebels that were holding a village hostage. Endymion was riding on Diablo as he thought of his wife and daughter, wondering how they were faring.

He had managed to go to Elysian twice in the last few weeks to visit them. Melody was enjoying the beauty and freedom that she had there, but Serenity was chomping at the bit. There had been a few incidents on the moon involving radical supporters, and she was anxious to get home to help. But fear for Melody kept them safely hidden away.

They were only about an hour from the palace now. Longing to see his two blonde angels, he decided that he would go tonight to visit them. He and Serenity had not had a chance yet to talk out all their problems, so they were still a little reserved around each other. He longed to rectify that. He missed their closeness.

Suddenly a muffled shout sounded a warning. A group of enemy forces swarmed out from the shadows of the trees.

"Ambush" Kunzite called out, unsheathing his sword as it began to glow with the general's power.

Endymion drew his sword as well, preparing for battle. The brutal fighting lasted for several minutes, but luckily the rebel force was small. The royal soldiers were able to soon force their retreat.

Returning his sword to his belt, Endymion turned to confer with Kunzite, only to find that the general was not there. After searching for several minutes, he had no choice but to come to the conclusion that his friend had disappeared like the others.

Heartsick, weary, and blood covered, the prince quickly remounted his horse and sped toward home.

His parents came into the courtyard to greet their son and the returning army. After giving his father a brief rundown of the battle and Kunzite's disappearance, he told them of his plans to go to Elysian.

Seeing their son's confusion and despair, the king and queen bid him farewell as he left. They knew that Serenity and Melody's presence would be a soothing balm to his wounded spirit right now, and sent him off with a smile.

A short while later, he arrived at the edge of the garden that surrounded the palace of Elysian. The sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon, making the shadows spread and lengthen as night began to slowly take over the land.

The air was sweet with the scent of flowers and a gentle breeze blew softly, rustling the leaves of the trees. Endymion took a deep breath, already feeling more at peace.

The sound of laughter reached his ears, and a magnetic pull urged him into the heart of the garden. Knowing that this feeling would lead him in the right direction, he followed it without question.

"I bet you can't find me, momma." The sound of his daughter's voice came from the other side of a group of bushes.

There was a rustling of leaves, and then Serenity's voice said. "Are you sure about that?"

There was a squeal of laughter, then the sound of running feet. Endymion stepped around the bushes and feasted his eyes on the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

Serenity was chasing Melody around the fountain in the clearing. Both of them were slightly disheveled and their faces flushed. Both sets of blue eyes, the sky blue and the deep midnight ones, were sparkling with their laughter.

He watched as his wife caught up to the little girl and scooped her up into her arms, spinning them around before sitting on the edge of the fountain.

"Okay" Serenity panted. "That's enough for today. It's time to go get washed up for dinner."

"But momma…" Melody moaned.

"No buts young lady, it's getting late and…" Serenity broke off as she sensed another presence.

She quickly turned and spotted her husband standing by the bushes watching them. He saw several emotions cross her face in a matter of seconds, but nothing could hide the joy that was in her eyes.

"Endy" he heard her whisper.

At the sound of her father's name, Melody spun to face him too. Seeing him, she scrambled out of her mother's lap before barreling toward him. When she was a few feet from him though, she stopped.

"Daddy, you're all dirty." she said, wrinkling up her little button nose.

Endymion let loose with the first real laugh that he'd had in weeks. "Yes, I guess I am. Forgive me for not changing before coming here, but I was in a hurry."

Suddenly a weight hit his chest. Slender arms were thrown around his neck like a vice, while soft hair tickled his nose. His senses were filled by the feel and scent of his wife.

Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he felt her tremble slightly. Her face was nestled in the crook of his neck as she whispered, "I can't believe you're really here. I must be dreaming."

He brushed a kiss at her temple. "No, it's really me, love. I couldn't stay away any longer. But our daughter's right, I'm really not fit to touch right now."

She only held him closer. "I don't care. I never want to let you go again."

They stood that way for several minutes, just savoring the feel of being in each other's arms again, until Melody piped up, "Momma, I thought you said we had to go wash up for dinner."

Giggling and wiping tears from her eyes, Serenity reluctantly stepped out of Endymion's embrace. "I'm sorry sweetie, you're right. And it looks like your daddy is the one who needs it the most."

Laughing together, the reunited family made their way inside where they enjoyed dinner while they visited together.

Lingering at the table over dessert, Melody was nodding over her plate. She jerked up when she almost fell into the remains of her pudding. Her parents then announced that it was bedtime. She snuggled into Endymion's arms as he carried her to her room.

It didn't take long to get the little princess tucked in, and with a mumbled, "Goodnight Momma and Daddy." she was fast asleep.

Serenity took Endymion's hand in hers and pulled him from the room. They crossed the hall and entered their own bedchambers. A comforting fire had been lit in the fireplace, and it cast a soft glow around the room.

She led him to one of the armchairs in front of the hearth and pushed him gently down into it. Then she positioned herself behind the chair and began massaging his neck and shoulders.

Endymion moaned as he felt her small hands working wonders on his tense, sore muscles. This was paradise compared to what he had been through the last few weeks. He felt like he could almost forget about the nightmare of the battle against the radicals, but unfortunately reality always had a way of intruding.

"So what's been happening?" Serenity asked. "And I want the truth, not some sugar coated version. I get enough of that from my mother. If it wasn't for the scouts, I wouldn't have a clue as to what's really been going on back home."

Endymion heaved a great sigh. "It's not been pretty."

"War never is." Serenity responded. "Now tell me about it."

Endymion told her about the recent battles against the radicals and how so far they had been able to keep them at bay. "But more and more people are dying and disappearing almost everyday. It's like a bad dream that I can't wake up from."

Serenity was still rubbing his shoulders. "So there's been no news about Zoicite, Jadeite, or Nephrite?" Ami, Rei, and Makoto had been devastated when they had heard of their lover's disappearances.

He covered his face with his hands as he shook his head. "No, nothing. And now Kunzite has gone missing as well."

Her hands stilled on his shoulders as she sucked in a breath. "Oh no, that will kill Minako. What happened?"

"We were on our way home earlier this evening and were ambushed." he explained. "One minute he was right there by me, and the next he was gone."

He sounded so lost and alone. Serenity rounded the chair and settled herself on his lap, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. "I'm so sorry, my love. I know they are like brothers to you. I would feel the same way if something were to happen to the scouts."

He put his arms around her as well and savored her calm, loving presence. It reinforced his reasons for fighting this war. He was fighting for the right to live with his wife and daughter by his side. To have them with him at all times. To watch his daughter every day as she grew into the beautiful young woman he knew she would become.

He was lost in his thoughts for so long, that when he came back to reality, he found that Serenity had nestled deep into his arms and had fallen asleep. He gazed at her slumbering features, so calm and beautiful. He knew that he should move them both to the bed, but at the moment he just didn't have the energy. Instead he just laid his head against hers and closed his eyes.

Several hours later, just as the sun was beginning to make an appearance over the horizon, a frantic pounding at the door awakened them both. Quickly Endymion righted them and placed Serenity on her feet as he went to answer the summons.

Helios was standing there, a wild and panicked look on his face. "Your Highness, you must come quickly. There is a messenger here from the palace with urgent news."

That was all Endymion needed to hear. He quickly made his way downstairs, with Serenity and Helios following close behind. He entered the main hall and saw David, one of his most trusted soldiers standing there waiting for him.

The young man was covered in dirt and blood from several cuts streamed down his body. His eyes had a dead look when he turned them toward his prince.

"David" Endymion exclaimed. "What has happened?"

"It was horrible Your Highness." David said in a shaky voice. "Not long after you departed, the rebels launched an attack against the palace. We weren't completely unprepared, but Beryl has new generals to lead her army. We were quickly overtaken by them."

"New generals" Endymion muttered. "But who would be able to out maneuver our army so quickly?"

David leveled a steady look on the prince. "The same ones who helped train us. That witch has somehow brainwashed Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite into working for her. They were leading the attack and knew all our moves. But you could tell that they were not themselves."

Endymion's head spun at this revelation. His friends, his brothers, were now working for the enemy. He may have to face them in battle. He sensed Serenity at his side, and felt her take his hand in hers.

"I'm afraid there's more." David continued. He swallowed several times before proceeding. "This is so hard for me to say, but the king and the queen were both killed by Beryl during the battle."

His mind went blank as his legs gave way and he fell to his knees. He stared at the floor, unaccustomed tears springing to his eyes. No. Not his gentle and loving mother. Not his kind and jovial father. It wasn't possible.

He felt soft hands on his face, forcing him to look up. "Endy, my love. Look at me, please."

He did as the voice asked and met Serenity's teary gaze with his own. He blinked several times to bring her into focus.

"I'm here for you my darling." she said. "We will get through this together. I'll help you. I'm through sitting on the sidelines. I am going to help you beat this witch. Together, we will end it."

Endymion's mind sluggishly processed her words. When it finally clicked what she was saying, he felt a thrill of terror. No way was he going to let her be killed like his parents had. He would lock her up and throw away the key first.

He opened his mouth to tell her this, but was cut off by the front doors of the palace opening and a shrill voice calling, "Serenity!"

Sailor Venus came running in and stopped when she saw the group there. After a moment's pause she began talking very quickly. "You have to come home right away. The Earth rebels are planning to attack us. We need your help. We are moving everyone we can into the castle grounds, but the queen can't fight them and shield the castle at the same time."

Serenity jumped to her feet. "I've got to go." She made for the door, but was stopped by a hand on her arm.

"What do you think you're doing?" Endymion asked her angrily.

She tried desperately to pull away from him. "I've got to go, Endy. They're going to attack my home. I have to help my mother. She needs my crystal too, to keep everyone safe."

Endymion growled. "Do you think I'm just going to let you go rushing off? You could get killed, Serenity. I'll go instead."

She protested. "No you can't. You're already weakened from fighting. You stay here with Melody, I'm going."

"Well if you're going then I'm going too." he stated firmly.

"What's going on? Why's everyone yelling?" a small voice came from the stairs.

A sleep tousled Melody stood at the top of the stairs, rubbing her eyes. She looked to her parents with questions in her eyes as she came down the staircase.

Endymion scooped her up in his arms. "Daddy's got to go help your grandmother with something on the moon, sweetie. I'll be back soon."

Serenity eyed him angrily. "I said I was going."

"Why don't you two quit arguing and both go?" Venus said in exasperation.

They looked at each other. "What about Melody?" they asked together.

"Leave the little one here." Helios said. "I'm sure one of the priestesses would be more than happy to watch her."

"Are you sure I can't talk you out of this?" Endymion asked Serenity.

She shook her head. "No way."

He sighed. "Okay let's go."

**The Moon Kingdom-Later that day**

Endymion pulled his sword out of the stomach of the man that he had just defeated. The body fell lifelessly to the ground with a thud. He looked around to make sure that nobody else was trying to steal into the back of the castle.

They had arrived on the moon earlier in the day, much to the relief of Queen Serenity. They had received word that the rebel forces were gathering and were prepared to strike the Moon kingdom that very day.

They had left Melody safely in Elysian with one of the priestesses with strict instructions to stay there and behave herself. They were now free too devote their time to planning the battle.

When the radicals had arrived though, they had been surprised at the size of the army Beryl had been able to raise. The mysterious Talon seemed to be absent from this battle however.

Losses were beginning to mount up on both sides. Sailors Uranus and Neptune had led the first wave of the counter strike against the enemy, but sadly had eventually fallen. Sailor Pluto's howls of misery had been heard coming from behind the door leading to the time plane. They all knew that she longed to join the battle, but she couldn't leave the time gate.

The inner scouts led the defense closest to the castle. Endymion had seen them falter momentarily at the sight of his generals leading the attack against them, but they were standing strong, protecting the palace grounds.

Serenity came out onto the balcony and they spent a moment reassuring each other that they were okay. She looked tired from expending energy into her crystal to protect the castle, and he knew he looked hideous covered in dirt and blood, but they were both still alive.

She went back inside and then suddenly all hell broke loose. Massive explosions rocked the ground and trembled the walls of the castle. Endymion made his way to the front where most of the fighting was taking place to find utter destruction.

The large hole in the castle made him hurry in that direction, and as he passed through the carnage he saw the bodies of his generals next to those of Serenity's scouts. Knowing that he didn't have time to grieve now, he hurried inside.

The people that had been sheltered inside the castle had disappeared. He hoped they had found somewhere safe to flee to. Feeling Serenity's panic inside him, he followed the pull. It led him up the stairs and down a hallway to her bedroom.

He entered quietly to find Queen Serenity alive but unconscious on the floor. He followed the sounds coming from the balcony and saw that Beryl had cornered Serenity out there. She was weak and drained, barely able to stand. Beryl moved in for an attack.

Being in a weakened state himself, he knew that there was no way he could call on his crystal, and it would take too long to draw his sword. He would never reach the witch in time. But one of his powers as being the prince of earth was that he had control over plant life.

Acting quickly, knowing he needed something to get in the way of the attack. He focused on manifesting a flower to throw. Ironically, it took the shape of his and Serenity's favorite, a red rose.

He threw it as hard as he could, missing Beryl, but effectively blocking her attack on Serenity.

He made his way over to his wife and pulled her close. Beryl was trying her best to coax Endymion to come to her, when the mysteriously absent Talon finally made an appearance.

His heart almost stopped when Talon pulled a struggling Melody out from the folds of his cloak. A red rage consumed him.

Serenity jerked away from him and began running toward their daughter and the man that held her captive. "Melody" she screamed.

With a flick of his wrist, Talon sent Serenity to the ground with an energy burst. "Payback moon bitch." he sneered laughingly. "Now look who I found wandering around someplace I'm sure she shouldn't have been. Say hello to your mom and dad, little princess."

Melody twisted in his grasp. "Let me go. You're a bad man."

Talon laughed. "Oh, I do admire your spirit, little one. Only a fearless person would have wandered into a battlefield."

'_Damn it. We told her to stay in Elysian.' _Endymion thought to himself as he looked for an opportunity to make a move. It came when Melody turned her head and bit down on the hand holding her. He saw Talon's grip loosening.

Moving quickly, he sprinted forward and snatched his daughter away from the sorcerer while unsheathing his sword. He swung and caught the bastard across the face with the blade.

There was a bellow of pain and fury from Talon as he rose into the air with a hand over one side of his face. Blood was flowing freely from the deep cut. "This isn't over. I'll be seeing you again." And then, he disappeared.

"Coward" Beryl shouted after him. She then turned back to Serenity, who had climbed back to her feet. "This ends now, princess. Your Silver Crystal and your prince will be mine." She manifested a sword and lunged at Serenity.

Without thinking, Endymion threw himself between them, keeping Melody shielded by his body. He felt the pain of the blade enter his back. Opening his eyes, stared into Serenity's sky blue ones. He saw the shock in them as he felt the blood that was beginning to pour from his body.

"No" he heard Beryl hiss as she withdrew the sword from his back. The light was fading from his vision as sank to his knees.

He heard Serenity's tear filled voice through the buzz in his ears. "No Endy, you can leave me, my love. I can't live without you."

He fell to the ground. He wanted so badly to be able to speak to her, to see her. But the life was ebbing quickly from his body. Complete darkness was overtaking him. The last thing he heard was her gasp and shrill scream, "Melody"

Then he knew no more.

* * *

Darien jerked upright in the bed, gasping for breath. He was covered in sweat and shaking violently. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and blinked several times until his vision cleared enough to see that it was Kunzite standing beside him.

He swallowed several times, fighting back nausea. He took several deep breaths as he gazed around. Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoicite also surrounded him.

He let out a shaky laugh. "Well that was one hell of a party, wasn't it?"

They all chuckled softly until a heart-wrenching scream tore through the room.

Darien quickly looked over to the bed next to him. Mina, Raye, Amy, and Lita were frantically trying to hold Serena's thrashing body down. Rini was standing between the two beds, tears in her eyes and a helpless look on her face.

After several attempts, Darien finally made it to his feet. He laid a comforting hand on his future daughter's shoulder. "It'll be over soon." he told her.

He stumbled over to Serena's side and laid his hand against her forehead where her crescent moon symbol was shining. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and deep sobs were tearing from her chest.

After another minute of watching this torturous scene, Darien felt his already stretched nerves about to snap. Finally with one last glass-shattering scream, the crescent moon symbol flared with a bright light and disappeared. Serena's body fell limp on the bed.

A few seconds later she gasped and her eyes flew open as she sat up quickly. She looked around wildly until she spotted Darien next to her. Sheer terror filled her eyes as she began shaking her head. She suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth and mumbled, "I'm gonna be sick."

She stumbled drunkenly from the bed and staggered to the door, leaving the rest of them staring after her.

After a minute Rini gave a shaky giggle. "Well, I guess the future Raye was right. She always said that those were my mom's first words after this experience. Never let her live it down actually. Damn. Now I owe her twenty bucks."

There were a few chuckles heard from the others. Raye looked offended. "Is that all I asked for? I'll remember that in the future and make sure to up the ante."

The rest of them began talking amongst themselves while Darien continued to stare at the doorway Serena had disappeared through. He felt a small, soft hand slip into his. He looked up at the face that looked so much like Serena's, but he was thinking about another face with his eyes and Serena's button nose.

"Come on. Let's go find that ditz before accidentally drowns herself in the toilet or something." Rini said with a grin that ironically Darien realized looked a lot like his.

Unable to help himself, he smiled at her attempt to boost his spirits. He got to his feet and followed her out the door in search of Serena.

**A/N** OMG, the memories are finally over. I will admit that reconstructing this after my com crashing has been a major pain. I originally was going to do Endymion's memories and then do Serenity's, but I felt like I would be repeating myself. So instead I'm leaving off with this here. I think I'll just insert flashbacks for anything that wasn't covered in these last three chapters. It's time to get back to the present and start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Well don't forget, reviews make me happy. :) Later!

Sere-chan


	13. Moving On

**A/N** Yay!!! Over 100 reviews. Honestly when I started this story I thought I would be lucky to get 10. But you guys have been great, and now I'm getting ambitious. I'm now thinking that I might be able to reach 150 or even 200 before this story's finished. Maybe, maybe not, but it's nice to dream. Anyway, time for hugs.

**xo Usako ox**

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**snoopykid**

**ange de l'aube**

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You guys are AWESOME!!! Now on with the show!

_**ENJOY!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 13

Moving On

Serena opened her eyes and stared around the vaguely familiar room. Disoriented, she tried to push the fog of sleep from her head and gather her thoughts. She felt so warm and comfortable though, that it would be easy to just slip back into the oblivion of sleep.

Unfortunately, her body had a different idea. She couldn't ignore the fact that she was extremely thirsty, she also badly needed to make a trip to the bathroom.

Telling herself to get up, she went to get into a sitting position, only to find herself held down by a weight across her chest. She looked down to see an arm lying across her body. She turned her head to find the owner of the arm, and then smiled at the dark haired figure lying next to her.

In sleep, Darien's face took on a relaxed, almost boyish look. His sleep tousled ebony locks dangled over his closed eyes, and his soft lips were slightly parted as he breathed slow and steadily.

She reached up with a hand to brush the silky hair away from his eyes. When her fingers made contact, memories came flooding back into her mind with amazing intensity.

She remembered that they were in Elysian, that Helios had unlocked their memories of their past lives. At that moment, she could see Serenity brushing back that stubborn piece of hair from Endymion's eyes as he lay sleeping in, what she realized was this same bed, in this same room.

The thoughts of what had happened after waking from reliving the events of her past life were kind of fuzzy, but were clear enough to make her shiver.

**Flashback**

Overwhelmed by what she had just experienced, she stumbled from the room to the nearest bathroom. She knelt on the cold tile floor as her stomach revolted in protest at the intensity of the emotions roiling through her body.

Weak and shaking, a cold sweat bathing her body, she slumped against the wall. She closed her eyes in a vain attempt to escape the images playing over and over in her head, but they were deeply embedded in her mind.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, trying to get her body back under her control, but suddenly warm arms surrounded her and a cool cloth was at her forehead. She opened her eyes to see two very concerned faces staring at her.

She smiled weakly up at Darien and Rini. "I'm okay. Just a little freaked. Give me a minute and I'll be fine."

Darien's troubled eyes looked down at her. She could feel the arms around her slightly shaking as well.

"What about you?" she asked him, laying a trembling hand against his cheek. "Are you okay?"

He nodded slowly, and then shook his head. "No, not yet." He gave her a small, crooked grin. "But I will be. We both will be."

Brushing aside the cloth that Rini was holding to her head, she flung her arms around him. They sat there several minutes, neither one speaking, just taking comfort from each other.

Voices came carrying down the hallway and through the open door of the bathroom. "Serena, Darien, Rini. Where did you guys go?"

Serena pulled back some in Darien's embrace and gave a small giggle, sounding a little like her old self. She wiped a few stray tears from her eyes as she said, "Here comes the cavalry."

Darien chuckled as well. "I'm surprised it took them this long to track us down."

"I'll head them off." Rini said. She was getting up when a hand grabbing hers stopped her. She glanced down to see Serena's hand holding onto her.

The future mother and daughter stared at each other for a moment before Serena pulled Rini into a quick, tight hug.

"I just wanted to say thank you for being here." Serena said. "It means a lot to me."

Rini pulled back with a smirk. "Are you kidding? I was raised on stories about this. I wouldn't have missed it for anything in the world. Now I'm going to go call off the bloodhounds."

After Rini left the room, Serena felt exhaustion sweep over her. She laid her head on Darien's shoulder. "I'm so tired." she mumbled.

"Me too." he whispered. "Let's go crash for a while. We've got plenty of time to talk later."

"Sounds good." she replied as she rose unsteadily to her feet.

Darien seemed to be just as shaky as she was as he slowly got up off the floor. He took her hand and then peeked out into the now empty hallway.

"All clear." he announced with a tired grin.

Together, they slipped up the stairs to their room where they both had fallen across the bed and had been asleep within minutes.

**End Flashback**

Serena had no idea how long she had been asleep, but it must have been a while. She felt well rested and rejuvenated. But now she faced the problem of trying to get out of this bed without waking Darien up.

After a few minutes of slow movements, she was finally able to slip out from under his arm and stand up. She held her breath for a second as Darien mumbled in his sleep. She sighed when he just wrapped his arms around her pillow and kept sleeping.

She quietly opened the door and left the room. A few minutes later, she left the bathroom down the hall, feeling much better after taking care of her needs and splashing some cold water on her face.

She was making her way down to the kitchen in search of something to drink when the wonderful aroma of what could only be Lita's cooking hit her. Her stomach growled loudly in response

Anticipating something good to eat, she hurried quickly to the kitchen. When she entered, she indeed saw Lita at the stove with several pans in front of her. Sniffing appreciatively, she wandered over to her friend.

"I don't know what you're making, but if it tastes half as good as it smells, I'm definitely having seconds." she said.

Lita turned to smile at her blonde friend. "Have I ever disappointed you before? We have a while before it's ready though. There are some cookies over on the table that I baked earlier if you want some."

"Great, I'm starving." Serena responded as she grabbed a soda out of the refrigerator and then snatched a cookie. It was still warm, and it practically melted on her tongue. She moaned at the taste. "Heaven"

Lita laughed as the door from the patio opened and Raye, Mina, and Amy came in. They paused at the sight of Lita doubled over, laughing at Serena, who was miming a fainting spell across the table.

"Oh Lita" she sighed dramatically. "Your cookies could rival the sweetness of a lover's kiss."

Raye grinned at the sight of her best friend up and about, and obviously feeling better. She took a moment to savor the sight, and then quickly composed herself.

"Geez Meatball Head" she said, adopting her usual personality. "Don't you know how unsanitary it is for you to be draped all over the place where people are going to be eating? Not to mention the fact that you're going to get your hair all in the cookies."

Serena sat up quickly and looked over at her other friends. Mina and Amy were stifling giggles behind their hands, while Raye was glaring at her. Looking deeper into the fiery priestesses eyes, she saw the glimmer of affection that she tried to hide.

"What's the matter Raye?" she asked with a mischievous smirk. "Scared I'm going to eat them all and not leave any for you?" She snatched up the tin that held the cookies and held it close to her body.

Raye stepped forward and growled, "Unhand those sweets you cookie bandit."

"Make me." Serena laughed as she began backing away from her.

"Get her!" Mina suddenly yelled.

For the next few minutes, the five young women chased each other around the large kitchen, laughing and acting like they used to when they were younger. It was also with a touch of melancholy as they now remembered not only doing things like this in this life, but in their previous life as well.

Eventually, they all collapsed on the sofa and chairs in the sitting area of the room. They were all flushed and panting and giggling together, unaware of the fact that five very amused pairs of eyes were observing them.

* * *

Darien woke just a few minutes after Serena had left the room. Missing her warm, soft body next to him, he lay there for a few minutes, trying to clear his head. He definitely felt better now that he'd had some rest. Endymion's memories were still bouncing around in his head like ping pong balls, but it was more manageable now.

Seeing the daylight peeking through a crack in the curtains, he rolled over to look at the clock to see how long he had slept. He couldn't believe it. If the time on that clock was correct, he had slept for twelve hours straight. He usually only needed six hours of sleep, and over the years balancing his super hero activities and studying had taught him to get by on much less.

Stretching, he got up out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. A few minutes later he emerged much more alert after splashing cold water on his face. He opened the door to be confronted by four semi-conscious sets of eyes.

"Well, at least someone appears to be in a decent mood." Kunzite growled.

Darien mumbled, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jadeite glared. "Oh, you and Serena get to slip off to never land while I'm being threatened to be the main course at a barbeque."

Darien winced. "So Raye took it bad huh?"

Nephrite sighed. "About as good as Lita. She promised to shove a lightning bolt up my ass."

"Well Amy said she was going to freeze me in a chunk of ice and have Pluto transport me back to the Ice Age." Zoicite shivered at the thought.

Darien tried to hide a grin as he asked Kunzite, "What about Mina? Did she threaten you too?"

Kunzite's cheeks actually flushed a little at that and unconsciously tugged down the cuffs on his shirt, but not before Darien saw the red marks around his wrists.

"Never mind." Darien said, letting his grin spread across his face.

"Shut up." Kunzite growled.

Jadeite yawned, "I just let Raye rant until she got it out of her system."

Nephrite nodded. "Same with Lita. Then she napped for a while and decided to go do her thing in the kitchen."

"I'm just glad that Amy's temper cools down quickly." Zoicite shuddered.

Darien continued smiling to himself as they made their way down the staircase to the ground level of the palace. He knew first hand what the sailor scout's tempers could be like when they were riled. He had been on the receiving end of it a few times himself when he and Serena had a spat and they were convinced it was his fault. They could be vicious, and they were protective of Serena almost to a fault.

Thinking of Serena, he wondered what kind of mood he would find her in. She had been extremely upset and shaken when they had gone to bed. He hoped that the rest had done her as well as it had done him.

When they reached the main hall, the men were surprised to hear a series of squeals and shrieks coming from the direction of the kitchen. Following the sounds, they made their way down the hall to the kitchen door and peeped cautiously around the doorframe.

All five of the women were running around the kitchen. They were all flushed and laughing, as it appeared the other four were ganged up against Serena, who was holding something close to her chest.

Serena came to a stop behind the sofa in the sitting area while the others positioned themselves strategically around her. She eyed them warily, seeming to be weighing her options about the best way to escape.

Raye and Lita were behind her, while Mina and Amy were in front of her on the other side of the sofa.

Raye took a step forward. "Ah ha! Now we've got you surrounded. Hand over those cookies before we have to hurt you."

"Never" Serena laughed, as she suddenly vaulted over the back of the sofa, only to be confronted by Mina and Amy, who moved in quickly.

"Ambush" they shrieked, as they tackled Serena onto the couch.

Serena squealed as she fell back onto the cushions. "Okay, okay. I give."

"Thank you." Raye said triumphantly as she leaned over and plucked the cookie tin from her fingers. She walked over to one of the armchairs and flopped down as she began munching happily on the cookie she had removed from the tin. She smiled innocently at Serena.

"Keep it up, Pyro." Serena said with a mock glare. "I'll be more than happy to shove all those cookies down your throat."

By this time, the guys were choking, trying to stifle their laughter out in the hall so they wouldn't be caught eavesdropping. Darien jumped about three feet in the air when a hand touched his shoulder.

Turning, he found Amara, Michelle, and Trista behind him. They all had bemused smiles on their faces, but looked a little confused.

"What's going on in there?" Amara asked in a whisper. "Are they killing each other?"

Darien whispered back, "They came between Serena and her sugar fix."

"Ohh" the Outer Scouts intoned. They knew that it could turn into an ugly scene when their princess was denied sweets.

"I think it's safe to go in now." Nephrite said quietly from his position nearest the door.

Jadeite sighed. "Great, I'm dying for a soda."

The five girls in the sitting area looked up as they made their way into the large kitchen. Darien gave Serena a smile as he headed for the full coffee pot on one of the counters. He was pleased to see her eyes light up as she returned his smile.

After wrangling with Kunzite for a moment over who made it to the java first, Darien took his cup and headed over to Serena. After setting his cup on a table, he put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"Hey" he said, giving her a light kiss. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better." she said with a grin. "That long rest worked wonders. How about you?"

"Pretty good." he said, reaching for his coffee and taking a sip. He saw her wrinkle up her nose. "Want some?" he asked, offering her the cup.

"Ew, no." she protested. "I never have understood how you can drink coffee plain like that. It needs lots of cream and sugar to be at all appealing."

He chuckled. "Yeah I know all about you and your sugar fixation."

Serena eyed him for a moment, looking deep into his eyes. She must have seen something there, because she suddenly asked accusingly. "So how long were you and the others in the hall before you came in?"

"Long enough." he said smugly.

"Damn, Darien." Jadeite groaned. "Nice way to blow our cover."

Raye screeched, "You were spying on us?!"

That set off a round of good-natured bickering between all of them. Rini, Helios, and Hotaru eventually joined the group, and they all continued to laugh and joke, not talking about anything serious, all the way through dinner.

When they were all stuffed, a silence fell over the table. Finally, Darien sat back and said, "I guess we need to figure out what our next step is."

Heads nodded all around the table, but they all seemed to be clueless as to what to do next.

Kunzite cleared his throat. "We need to stop that bastard, Talon."

Nephrite seconded that. "If we take care of him, there will be no more threat."

Mina mumbled her encouragement and Lita smacked a fist against her palm. "Absolutely" they both agreed.

"We can't go rushing in blind." Zoicite offered.

Amy spoke up. "We need more information before we can plan an attack against him."

"What's there to plan?" Amara demanded. "We just wait for the son of a bitch to show his face again and then we kick his ass."

Michelle laid a hand on Amara's shoulder. "Calm down. I don't think it will be that simple."

"I agree with Amara." Raye growled. "I'd like nothing better than to flambé his sorry hide."

"Chill out a little, Pyro." Jadeite cautioned her.

The other five occupants had been quiet during this exchange, but Helios finally broke in. "I have a little information that may prove helpful. Trista and Rini, of course, know a lot more, but to preserve the timeline, they can't say. Hotaru has no knowledge of any of the past events, so I will tell you what I can"

They all sat back in anticipation.

Helios began. "After all of your deaths and the destruction of the moon kingdom, Queen Serenity sent everyone on the moon that day to be born in the future on Earth. That also included the small princess. She has been reborn in this time with the wish of the queen for her to be able to live a normal life. But knowing that past enemies may rise again, she made sure that everyone's powers could be awakened if need be.

To ensure protection for her daughter and the Silver Crystal, as you all know, she granted Serenity's reincarnation with the ability to transform into Sailor Moon. She also took precautions for Melody as well by creating another sailor scout whose purpose is to make sure nothing threatens her reincarnation or her crystal."

Serena finally spoke. "So that mystery scout that we've seen, she really is on our side then?"

"Absolutely" Rini said enthusiastically. "Sailor Shadow is definitely an ally."

"Sailor Shadow?" Serena asked.

"Oops" Rini blushed.

Trista reassured the future princess. "That's all right Small Lady, that information is okay to give. But please make sure to always think before you blurt something out. You wouldn't want to change your future, would you?"

Rini shook her head. "No way. I like my life the way it is, thank you."

Darien and Serena shared a grin at that statement. Evidently they must be decent parents in the future.

"Are you sure you wouldn't want to trade us for another set of parents?" Serena teased.

Rini stuck her tongue out at her while Darien laughed.

Serena sighed. "So Helios, should we try to find Melody's reincarnation?"

He seemed to think for moment. "For now, I would suggest just concentrating on trying to stop Talon. Even Sailor Shadow is unaware of the princess's location. If none of you know where she is, then you can't accidentally lead Talon to her."

Serena could see the logic in that, but a maternal part of her was crying out. She wanted to find this little girl and see for herself that she was safe.

Darien, sensing her thoughts, put his arm around her. "I agree with Helios. Let's concentrate on Talon. As much as I hate to admit it, we're not her parents in this life. We wouldn't even know where to begin to look for her anyway."

"I know." she muttered. "I can't help wanting to see her though. To see that she's happy and safe."

Helios stood. "Well, I guess it's about time for all of you to return home. Just remember, even though you have been here for two days, only about twelve hours have passed in the outside world. We left right after midnight, you will be returning around noon." He motioned for them all to follow him.

They all walked outside onto the lawn surrounding the garden, where they all formed a ring around Helios again. A bright flash of light surrounded them, and then they were back at the Cherry Hill Temple.

Serena breathed in deeply as the smells and sounds of the bustling city surrounded her. Opening her eyes, she was greeted by the familiar sights of the temple courtyard, littered with sakura blossoms.

"Oh, it's good to be home." she sighed.

"I must take my leave now, my friends." Helios said. "I will try to check in with you often."

'Aww, do you have to." Rini pouted.

He chuckled. "Just for now, my maiden. I will see you soon." And with a flash of light, he was gone.

"Come on, Rini." Hotaru said. "Let's go hit the mall or something."

"Okay" Rini grumbled. "Can I, Serena?"

"Yeah, sure." Serena replied in a daze. The events of the last couple of days in Elysian were starting to catch up with her, making her feel disconnected.

"You girls keep your eyes open for anything strange." Darien told them. "If there's any sight of Talon or any of his youma, don't try to take them on yourselves. Contact us immediately."

"Don't worry, we'll be with them." Amara reassured him as she, Michelle, and Trista made their way toward the temple steps behind the girls.

The others began to break off into pairs and leave, each making the similar promise to call the moment they saw any trouble.

"I'll let Luna know we're back." Mina said as she left with Kunzite. "I'm sure she's probably at my place with Artemis waiting for news."

"Thanks" Serena said half-heartedly.

Darien, feeling the uncertainty coming from her, grabbed her hand. "Come on. You need an energy boost. I told Andrew I would let him know when we got back, so let's go by the arcade. I'll buy you whatever you want."

It only took a few minutes for them to reach their destination. The air conditioning was refreshing after the heat outside and it helped clear Serena's head.

"Hey guys." Andrew called from his spot behind the counter. "I was wondering when you two were going to grace this humble establishment again."

Serena and Darien took seats at the counter and grinned at their friend. "One triple chocolate shake for the lady, please." Darien requested.

"Coming right up." Andrew said, pulling out a glass and beginning to fill it up with ice cream.

Jess walked up and set her tray on the counter. "Hey Andrew, I need another cherry limeade and a fudge sundae for those obnoxious guys at table fourteen."

Andrew's eyes narrowed as he looked over toward the customers she was talking about. "Are they giving you a hard time?"

She shook her head. "Nah, nothing I can't handle. But if that red head flexes his biceps at me one more time, I'll be tempted to dump that sundae over his head to cool him off."

Serena broke into a fit of giggles. "That would do it. But in my opinion, milkshakes work much better."

Jess looked thoughtful before nodding. "I see your point. Definitely messier. You sound like you have experience in dealing with obnoxious guys."

Serena blushed a little and glanced quickly at Darien. "Just a little bit." she mumbled.

"No way!" Jess slapped her hands against the counter. "You poured a milkshake over Darien's head. Why? I can't picture you two fighting. You seem so perfect together."

Andrew laughed. "Oh the stories I could tell you. They might not seem like it now, but at one time these two were mortal enemies. About drove me crazy until they finally admitted that they liked each other."

Darien and Serena were both sporting red cheeks now as they thought back to the early days of their relationship.

"Here's your order." Andrew said, placing the items on the tray. "If you want me to take over that table, I will."

Jess picked up the tray with a saucy grin. "It takes more than a couple of wanna be studs to scare me off." She made her way back over to make her rounds of the customers sitting at the tables.

Andrew watched her walk away, an adoring look in his eyes. He finally shook himself and turned back to his friends, who were both looking at him, smirking. "What?" he asked indignantly.

Darien shook his head. "You've got it bad, man."

Serena swatted him on the shoulder. "Don't pick on him. I think it's sweet. I'm glad he found someone. And Jess is a sweetheart."

"Yeah she is." Andrew sighed. "I'm so glad she decided to move here to finish school. She got accepted to another school back in California, but she didn't want to stay there. Too many sad memories she said. Anyway, speaking of memories, fill me in on what's been happening with you two."

Darien began telling him about their trip to Elysian and what had happened. Serena sat there, half listening, as she sipped on the milkshake Andrew had placed in front of her. She was so lost in her thoughts, that it took her a minute to realize that her cell phone was ringing in her pocket.

Pulling it out, she glanced at the screen and saw her home number displayed there. She flipped it open. "Hi mom." she said, knowing that it would be her mother.

"Hey honey" Ilene Tsukino greeted her. "I saw you left early this morning. I just wanted to remind you that we are having Sammy's birthday dinner tonight."

'_Oh crap.' _Serena thought to herself. With everything going on, she had forgotten that her brother's birthday was today. Since hitting his teen years, Sammy had started doing his own thing, so Serena barely even saw him anymore.

"I remember, mom." Serena said, crossing her fingers at the little white lie. "I'll be there."

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure. Is Rini with you? She seems to have left out early too." Ilene asked.

"She's at the mall with Hotaru." Serena answered. "I'll make sure she gets there."

"All right. I'll talk to you later." Ilene said as she disconnected the call.

Serena moaned as she laid her head on the counter. "What do you get a fifteen year old boy for his birthday?"

Darien and Andrew both stopped their conversation to look at the distraught blonde. "Easy" they both said. "A gift card to his favorite store."

Her head snapped up. "Perfect! You guys are lifesavers. I'll stop by the mall and get him one to the video game store." She grinned and took a long sip from her milkshake.

A crash sounded from the area where the tables were, followed by a loud screech. "You jerk! How dare you put your hands on me? I outta knock your sorry head off."

Serena and Darien both turned to see Jess sprawled out in the floor next to the table where the two guys she had been talking about earlier were sitting. A few glasses lay broken from where they had fallen from her tray. Sitting in the middle of the shattered glass, Jess was glaring at the red haired man with the beefy biceps.

Andrew vaulted the counter while Serena and Darien sat there in shocked silence. He ran toward the commotion, but Jess was quicker.

She jumped to her feet, and in a lightening fast move, had her hands around the guy's neck. She shoved him back hard against the wall. She growled menacingly, "Doesn't feel to good to have someone grab you, does it? You picked the wrong female to screw with. Now get your sorry carcass out of here before I really lose my temper."

She practically drug the guy from the booth and shoved him toward the door. His friend sat wide-eyed for a moment until she turned her eyes to him, then he scrambled quickly after his friend.

You could have heard a pin drop, the arcade was so silent. Andrew stared at Jess as she stood there, shaking in absolute fury. Tears of rage glimmered in her eyes. She didn't even realize that she had a pretty nasty cut on her arm, but Andrew saw the blood and approached her.

"Hey, come on. Let's get you cleaned up." he said gently as he put an arm around her shoulder.

The fight went out of her eyes as she leaned against him, tears beginning to pour down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." she whispered as he led her toward the staffroom, Serena and Darien following.

Andrew threw back his head and laughed. "Sorry! That was amazing. I bet that scum will think twice before ever touching another woman without permission. You were great!"

She gave a weak smile. "Thanks. My dad always thought a girl should know how to protect herself."

"Well, you certainly did." Serena said with a grin. "You probably scared ten years off that jackass's life."

"What exactly happened?" Darien asked as he approached with the first aid kit and began to clean her cut.

She hissed as the antiseptic stung the wound. "I dropped a napkin. When I went to pick it up, he grabbed my ass. It took me by surprise, so I lost my balance and fell."

Andrew chuckled. "I never knew you had such a temper."

Jess looked a little hurt. "Hey, I don't always react like that. I just don't want some strange man touching me. It's weird, creepy, and gross."

Andrew held his hands up in surrender. "I wasn't condemning you for it."

"I know." she sighed.

"Well luckily the cut isn't deep." Darien said, wrapping a bandage around her arm. "Just keep it clean and covered for a few days, and it should be fine."

Jess smiled. "Thanks. You do that pretty well. You'll make a great doctor."

"He'll be the best doctor." Serena insisted.

Darien's cheeks flushed as he repacked the kit. "All right. That's enough."

"You're off in thirty minutes anyway. Why don't you go ahead and take off?" Andrew said.

Serena perked up. "Yeah, why don't you come with me? I've gotta go pick up something for my brother's birthday."

"Okay" Jess grinned. "But I've got a class in a little while, so I can't stay long."

"That fine. I'm just running into the game store real quick." Serena told her. "I've got to get home soon, my mom's got a whole birthday dinner planned that I have to attend. My cousin's at the mall, too, so I'll have to grab her while I'm there."

"That sounds like a good idea." Darien said. "I'm going to hang here for a while. Andrew and I weren't finished with our conversation."

Serena gave him a big hug. "I'll see you later?"

He gave her a lingering kiss. "You know you will."

Nearby, Andrew and Jess were sharing their own goodbye.

"I'll call you later." Andrew told her,

Jess kissed his cheek gently. "I'll be waiting."

He seemed about to say something, and then stopped. Then he quickly leaned in and laid a soft kiss to her lips. "Be careful." he whispered.

She blushed wildly and nodded her head. Then she grabbed her bag and followed Serena from the room.

The two guys watched as the women in their lives walked out of the arcade. Andrew sighed, "We are so whipped."

Darien grinned. "Yeah, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

"So finish telling me about your little adventure." Andrew prompted.

* * *

Later that evening, Serena and Rini were walking through the park on their way home. They had stayed at the mall a little longer than planned, so they were walking at a brisk pace.

After leaving the arcade earlier, Serena and Jess had gone to the mall. Not long after arriving, they met up with Rini and the others. The Outer Scouts had left soon after, leaving Serena, Rini, and Jess to take care of their errands.

Rini and Jess had hit it off and become fast friends. The three girls had had fun poking around a few stores and moaning that they didn't have enough time to shop. They had ended up in the food court where they had laughed and talked together over snacks until Jess had to leave for her class and Serena and Rini decided to head home.

They were nearing the center of the park when they heard the first screams. A minute later, a group of people came running by them screaming, "Youma!"

Not wasting any time, they ducked behind a large clump of bushes. Serena pulled out her communicator and pressed the call all button. "This is Moon. Youma at the park."

Several voices chorused back, "Be right there."

"Man, mom's going to kill us for being late." Serena groaned.

"Yeah, I know." Rini lamented. "Maybe this won't take long."

"Let's do it." they agreed.

"Moon Eternal Power"

"Crescent Moon Power"

Several flashes of light later, Sailor Moon and Sailor Crescent Moon emerged from their hiding place. They began running in the direction they had heard the screams.

'_Serena, don't do anything until the rest of us get there.' _she heard Darien's voice in her head.

'_I won't.' _she answered him. _'I just want to get a closer look.'_

They heard a commotion as they neared the lake. Staying back in the shadows of the trees, they peered out.

This youma appeared to be another humanoid looking one. Standing much taller and broader than most humans, it had those same crimson eyes that Talon's other youma had sported. It had trapped a group of four people down by the lake. It didn't seem to be harming them, but it seemed to enjoy tormenting them.

There was a thump behind them as Tuxedo Mask dropped down from a tree limb. Sounds of running footsteps signaled that others were on their way. A few seconds later, Venus, Kunzite, Jupiter, and Nephrite joined them, followed soon after by Mars, Jadeite, Mercury, and Zoicite.

"What's going on?" Tuxedo Mask asked.

Sailor Moon shrugged. "I'm not sure. It doesn't seem to have hurt anyone yet. It just seems to be scaring people."

"Sounds like a trap." Kunzite stated.

"What sounds like a trap?" a voice asked.

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn appeared through the trees.

Moon quickly explained the situation to them.

"Of course it's a trap." Uranus scoffed. "He's trying to draw us out for some reason."

"Well since you already know what I'm trying to do, why don't you come on out and face me instead of hiding like a bunch of cowards?" Talon's floating form appeared by the lake.

"Coward…I'll show him who's a coward." Jadeite said angrily as he prepared to charge him.

Kunzite and Nephrite grabbed his arms. "Calm down, hot-head." they both growled.

"We meet him head on, together as a group." Tuxedo Mask said.

They all agreed and stepped out from the trees.

"That's right, all of you come out. No need for anyone to lurk in the shadows." Talon said in an almost pleasant voice. "I see the gang's all here."

His eyes scanned over their group, taking in every one of them. "Yes, everyone's here. The princess and the prince, all the scouts, and the earth generals too." Then he eyed Sailor Crescent Moon. "I see even the little anomaly I have yet to figure out has graced me with her presence."

He said all of this as if he were a host, greeting his friends at a party. He looked around expectantly. "Well, not everyone it seems. I was hoping my mysterious little ambusher would show. No matter, I know how to draw her in."

He turned his jet black eyes on Sailor Moon. "There's something different about you, my dear Serenity. I see more recognition in your eyes this time. Have you by any chance regained all of your memories?"

Sailor Moon stepped forward, but was stopped by Tuxedo Mask's hand on her shoulder. "I remember everything about you." she spat. "I remember what a rotten, lowlife you are. And you would do well to remember exactly who I am and what I can do to you." Her crescent moon mark on her forehead began to glow.

Talon roared with laughter. "I always did admire your spirit, Serenity. However, just because you surprised me once, doesn't mean you'll be able to do it again."

"Release those people your youma has trapped." she demanded. "They served their purpose. You got us here. Now let them go."

"Of course." Talon acquiesced. With a snap of his fingers, the youma disappeared. The frightened people ran off down one of the paths through the trees.

With another snap of his fingers, everyone except Sailor Moon was blasted back several feet. An invisible wall of energy sprang up, separating her from the others.

"Now Moon Princess, let's have a little conversation, just you and I." Talon said suavely. He snapped his fingers again, and her sailor fuku changed into Serenity's formal white dress.

"Much better." he commented. "So you say you remember everything. Does that include up to the moment that you plunged that sword into your heart, the thoughts that were running through your mind as you looked upon the lifeless bodies of your husband and daughter."

She inwardly cringed at the thought, but refused to let him see it. She lifted her chin high and sneered, "Yes I do, but I fail to see what it has to do with you."

He waved a careless hand. "Oh nothing at all. It takes a strong woman to watch the lifeblood pouring from the bodies of the two people she loves most in the world and admit that it was all her fault."

Serena froze as Serenity's final memories crashed through her head. She was kneeling next to Endymion's body, clutching a lifeless Melody to her breast. She was covered in their blood and her mind was screaming as loudly as her voice was.

'_This is all my fault.'_ she had thought to herself. _'I knew of the prophecy. I should have known that this couldn't have a happy ending. I acted for my own selfish reasons. And because of that, two wonderful kingdoms have been destroyed. It's all my fault.'_

Serena could faintly hear Darien and the others banging against the shield, trying to find a way through. But all she could concentrate on was that voice repeating over and over, _'All my fault.'_

Talon was suddenly right beside her, his breath brushing her ear as he whispered, "That's what you were thinking, wasn't it? Poor little Serenity, she put her own selfish needs above her duty to her people. She entered a forbidden relationship and then gave birth to the fruit of that union, all for her own selfishness."

"No" Serena whispered as tears began to streak her cheeks. She heard Darien frantically screaming her name, but she couldn't move. She was stuck in a swirling vortex of emotions that crashed against her, unrelenting.

"Admit it Serenity." Talon bellowed. "You caused the deaths of Endymion and Melody the same as if you had killed them yourself, along with the destruction of two kingdoms. Your friends, your family, they all died because of your selfishness."

"Nooo…" Serena screamed as her crescent moon flared brightly to life. Her legs buckled and she fell to the ground on her hands and knees.

* * *

Tuxedo Mask slammed his fists repeatedly into the invisible barrier. "Serena…Serena!" he screamed. "Damn it Mercury, find me a way in there. I don't care how, just do it."

Sailor Mercury had her computer out, typing rapidly as she tried to find a weakness in the wall.

Sailor Mars had tears in her eyes. "Why is he torturing her like this? What's it going to accomplish?"

They all cursed as Serena fell screaming to the ground, her crescent shining brightly.

"I can't find a weakness." Mercury said hopelessly.

"Then let me take a crack at it." Jupiter said. "Everyone back up." Lightning began crackling around her.

"Stop Sailor Jupiter, that won't work." a voice said from the shadows of the trees. "I'm the one he wants. I'll get his attention and you get the princess out of here."

"Sailor Shadow?" Tuxedo Mask wondered.

"Yes prince" the voice answered. "I fear he's using Princess Serenity as a tool to lure me out. Sadly it's working. Now be prepared, he'll have to drop the barrier in order to come after me."

"But that puts you in danger." Tuxedo Mask protested. "Serenity wouldn't want you to risk yourself for her."

"Never mind that. Just be ready. He'll have a hard time catching what he can't see." Sailor Shadow retorted. "Talon" her voice rang out. "You wanted me here, so here I am. Release the princess immediately."

Talon turned his head toward the sound, a smirk twisted his scarred face. "So, my shadowy little friend decided to make an appearance after all. How thoughtful."

"Thoughtful my ass." Shadow sneered out at him. "Forgive me for not just sitting back and watch you torment people you sick, sadistic freak."

Talon's eyes narrowed. "You have a big mouth, little girl. I also believe that you have some information I want."

A harsh laugh came from the woods. "I've done told you that I don't know where the princess is. But if you want to try to see if you can wrangle anything out of me, then bring it on."

Uranus chuckled. "I think I like her after all."

"She's definitely right in my book." Jupiter agreed.

Talon roared. "I hope you can back up that mouth of yours." As he rose into the air, the barrier dropped. He sped off toward the mysterious scout while the others ran to Serena's side.

She lay gasping on her side, tears streaming down her cheeks. When Talon left, she transformed back into Sailor Moon.

Tuxedo Mask quickly scooped her up into his arms. "Serena, are you okay?" He got no response so he tried again, giving her a little shake this time. "Serena, answer me. Are you all right?"

She turned wide fearful eyes to his. "It was all my fault." she whispered.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"It was all my fault." she repeated. "You…Melody…Everyone else…you all died because of me."

"Uh, guys." Venus broke in. "I hate to be the party crasher, but can we please get out of here before the floating freak comes back."

Sailor Moon looked around. "Where did he go, anyway?"

"We'll talk about it in a minute." Tuxedo Mask told her. "Control room everyone, now."

They all took off, Sailor Moon still wrapped tightly in Tuxedo Mask's arms. They quickly made their way out of the park and then took to the roofs, making their way to the back of the arcade in just a matter of minutes.

Dropping into the alley behind the building, they let their transformations go before slipping in the back door and into the secret entrance to the control room.

"Where's Trista?" Amara asked when they all got downstairs.

"She went to Serena's house." Rini answered. "She going to trick her family's minds into thinking that we are there so we don't get in trouble."

Nephrite looked astounded. "She can do that?"

"Scary, isn't it?" Michelle said with a smile.

Darien had sat in one of the chairs with Serena in his lap. "Okay guys, we really need to talk about what just happened. If it hadn't been for Sailor Shadow showing up, I don't know how far Talon would have gone."

Serena's head rose from his shoulder. "Sailor Shadow was there?"

"Yeah" Darien said grudgingly. "She led him away so we could get to you."

Her eyes widened. "And you let her?"

Lita snorted. "Let her nothing. She came right out and pretty much called Talon everything but a child of god, then told him to catch her if he could."

Serena shook her head. "She shouldn't have done that."

"Well she did." Darien said. "I'm more concerned about what Talon did to you. What happened?"

Serena shuddered. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Well you're going to. We need to know." Darien insisted.

She sighed. "He just made me think long and hard about Serenity's last memories. It wasn't pleasant. I've spent all day today avoiding those final moments, but he brought them all up fresh in my mind."

"You kept saying it was all your fault. What do you think was all your fault?" Darien asked her.

Serena jumped up from his lap and began pacing. Everyone in the room was silent as they watched her frantic movements. After several minutes, she finally stopped and faced them all, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Everything that happened, the destruction of the moon and the earth, could have been avoided if Serenity hadn't been so selfish. She put her own wants and needs above those of her people, and they paid the price. I'm ashamed to think that I was her at one time." Serena stated boldly.

Gasps were heard around the room.

"You don't mean that, do you?" Mina asked in a shocked voice.

Serena shook her head. "I honestly don't know what to think anymore. I've seen it all through Serenity's eyes and I've heard her thoughts. She believed that everything happened because of the choices she made, and I agree. After seeing Endymion killed, and that poor precious little girl…" her voice broke off.

Darien stood up and walked to her. He took her by the arms. "Serena, what happened after my memories stopped? What happened to Melody?"

The tears finally began to spill from her eyes. "Don't ask me that." she whispered. "Please don't make me say it."

Darien forced her to look at him. "I need to know. How did our daughter die?"

Serena seemed to wilt in front of him. When she spoke, it was barely a whisper. Everyone strained to hear what she had to say.

"You had just gotten Melody away from Talon. You were holding her in your arms. Beryl came at me with a sword and you threw yourself in front of me. She stabbed you and then you fell to the ground. I went out of my mind. You were still holding Melody in your arms. It took me a minute to realize that she wasn't moving." She stopped and took a deep breath.

"The sword went all the way through you and hit Melody in the heart, killing her instantly. She was dead before you." she finished flatly.

The silence in the room was oppressive. All of the women, even Amara, had tears in their eyes.

The door opened and Trista slipped in. She took in the atmosphere before breaking the silence. "So you finally told them of Melody's death. That's good. Now maybe you can move forward and quit dwelling in the past."

Serena started at Trista's tone. "I know there are different timelines. Could the disasters of the past have been avoided if Serenity had chosen not to marry Endymion?"

Trista eyed her thoughtfully. "It may have been prolonged, but the Silver Millennium was already fractured. The Earth was already corrupted. If the marriage had not taken place, there were many scenarios. Both kingdoms would have fallen anyway.

In one, Beryl took over the Earth and killed the entire royal family, Endymion included. She then still destroyed the moon and eventually the galaxy. The world would be a much different place right now if that had happened.

In another timeline, Beryl went after the moon first. Queen Serenity was killed, but managed to defeat Beryl before she died. Princess Serenity took over as ruler, and in her anger at the Earth, started a war that eventually destroyed both kingdoms.

There are other timelines that could have been followed, but I will tell you this. The choices that your past self made was the only way to set you on this path. If Serenity and Endymion were never wed, then the future Crystal Tokyo and Small Lady would never exist."

Serena looked over at her future daughter. The sight of her soft pink hair and her shining maroon eyes made her feel better. "Well, we couldn't have that happen, could we?"

Light laughter broke out around the room. Serena glanced at her watch and gasped when she saw the time.

"My mom's going to kill me." she wailed.

Trista laid a comforting hand on her arm. "No need to get upset. I altered their memories a little. They believe that both you and Rini were there and that both of you are spending the night at Raye's temple."

Serena heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I owe you big for that."

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm bushed." Mina said.

"Yeah" Raye seconded. "I'm heading home."

There was a chorus of goodnights as they all made their way upstairs, everyone splitting up and going their own way in groups and pairs. Soon, only Darien, Serena, and Rini were left.

Darien grinned as he offered an arm to each of them. "Could I interest you ladies in staying over at my place tonight?"

They both gave him a bright smile as they took his arms and the three of them began heading for his place.

* * *

Later that evening, while Serena and Darien were enjoying a late night movie and junk food binge with their future daughter, a white haired young man made his way to another apartment door. He knocked quietly and waited for a reply.

A short time later, the door opened a crack and an eye peeked out. Seeing who it was, the door opened wider to reveal a woman who appeared to be in her mid to late thirties.

"Helios" she said with a smile. "I'm so glad to see you. Come on in."

He walked inside and she closed the door behind them.

"I was about to make some tea. Would you like some?" she inquired.

He nodded. "Yes, please."

They walked into the kitchen where she removed two mugs from a cabinet and filled them with hot water from a kettle and tea bags. Within minutes, they were both enjoying the hot brew.

She sat back in her chair and eyed him. "So what brings you here tonight? I have a feeling this isn't a social call."

Helios sighed. "It's been done. All of the memories have been returned to the prince and princess as well as their guardians."

The woman sucked in a breath. "So soon?"

"Yes. Talon is speeding up his operation. I felt it was time to return their rightful memories so that they can prepare for this fight." Helios responded.

A petite orange cat walked into the room and jumped up on the table. It bore a crescent moon symbol on its forehead and stared evenly at Helios.

"Good evening, Nebula." Helios greeted the cat.

The cat spoke. "Good evening to you too, Helios. Did I hear you correctly? You've returned the memories to the prince and princess?"

"Yes, you heard me right." Helios told the feline.

"So the time is approaching. I hope she's ready for this." Nebula whispered.

"Don't we all." the woman agreed.

The princess's whereabouts are still unknown." Helios said. "As long as she can complete her mission, that secret should be safe. Is she here? Can I see her?"

Nebula jumped down from the table. "She's asleep, but you can take a peek. She sleeps like the dead anyway, so she'll never even realize you're there."

He followed the cat down a hall to a door that led into a bedroom where a teenage girl lay sleeping.

The girl seemed restless. Her brow was furrowed as if her dreams were troubling her. Helios laid a hand on her forehead and whispered an ancient incantation. The girl immediately relaxed and seemed to slip into a peaceful sleep.

"I know this is a heavy burden that has been laid upon you." he said softly. "Many more trials and tribulations are lurking in your future. But for tonight, have sweet dreams…Sailor Shadow.

**A/N** Things are starting to slowly come together. They have a new ally in Sailor Shadow and they know that Melody is definitely out there somewhere. Things are building up to a final showdown with Talon. But never fear, I still have quite a few things left that I want to cover before I bring this story to a close. So tell me what you think. I absolutely adore comments. Later!!!

Sere-chan


	14. Destiny Comes Knocking

**A/N **Whew…I can't believe I'm already posting Chapter 14. It seems like I just started this story on a crazy whim. I never expected it to actually do any good, much less have so many wonderful people leave their reviews and messages telling me that they enjoyed it. It gives me the warm fuzzies to know that other people are living this adventure right along with me, and we're not done yet! BIG HUGS to everyone who reads this and very special thanks to:

**snoopykid **

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

**xo Usako ox**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**ange de l'aube**

**small town minx**

**JmacKarla**

**KageNoNeko**

**goddessofanime2003**

**bakagirl123**

**CharmedSerenity3**

You guys are the best! If it wasn't for you, I don't know if this story would have lived as long as it has. Now here we go!

_**ENJOY!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 14

Destiny Comes Knocking

"Moon, get down!" a voice called out in the middle of the chaos.

Sailor Moon ducked as Jupiter sent several bolts of lightning shooting over her head, knocking a youma to the ground.

"Thanks" she said with a quick grin to her friend.

"No problem." Jupiter shrugged, returning the grin. "I just wish we could find a way to finish them off. This is getting a little old."

Sailor Moon nodded in agreement. It had been a month since the confrontation with Talon at the park. No sign of him had been seen since. But armies of his youmas were attacking several times a week.

Today it was in an amusement park. There was a group of ten youmas, terrorizing the patrons and wrecking havoc. Thrown food and discarded stuffed animals littered the ground where panicked people had dropped them in their hurry to find an escape.

Unlike the youmas they had faced in the past that were slower moving, energy-stealing types, these youmas were fast. Their purpose seemed to be to cause as much damage as they could in as short of time as possible.

Their speed was a definite disadvantage to the sailor scouts and their team. Usually one of the others could immobilize the creature to give Sailor Moon long enough to dust it, but these monsters were able to dodge attacks with no problem. Every now and then, they might be able to take one by surprise, but the battles usually ended up with more of the youmas getting away than were destroyed.

Sailor Moon twirled her moon tier. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss" the youma on the ground turned to dust.

"Well, at least that's one down." Moon wryly.

Mars gave a harsh laugh as she ran by. "Yeah, only about nine more to go."

A blast of orange light came from the direction of the Ferris Wheel where Venus and Kunzite had been battling one of the monsters. The youma flew backwards and landed in a crouch.

Sailor Moon quickly took aim and fired an attack at it. The humanoid looking creature saw it coming, and quickly jumped out of the way.

"Damn it" she growled. "Would it be too much to ask for one of them to stand still for just five seconds?"

She swayed a little on her feet, and her vision blurred for a moment. Having to fire so many attacks was seriously draining her energy. Unlike the other scouts, whose power was elemental, hers came directly from the Silver Crystal. The crystal's power fed from her life force, so using it so much was rapidly depleting her.

Venus saw this and ran to her side. She put a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Hey, save your energy. Don't take a shot unless you know it's a certain hit."

Sailor Moon snorted. "Yeah, but there never seems to be a certain hit with these guys."

Venus gave a short laugh. "True. But still, try not to waste any more energy than you have to."

"I'll try." she promised as Venus turned and ran back into the middle of the disaster zone to see what she could do to help the others. The youmas had spread out over the entire park, so their team had been broken up as well to try to deal with them.

She leaned up against a concession stand for a moment and took several deep breaths to try to clear her head. After a few moments, she felt better and began running toward the sounds of ongoing battles.

She entered the large open midway area and stopped to take in the scene. It seemed that most of the youma had been corralled into the same place. Seven of the tall, red eyed creatures were in the center of the space, surrounded by the scouts and generals who were firing random attacks to try to keep them contained.

She made her way over to Venus. "Is this all of them?" she asked.

Venus shook her head. "I don't know. I think this is the majority of them though. You got enough juice to take them out?"

Sailor Moon gripped her tier tightly. "I think so, as long as none of them move. I've got a good blast or two left in me."

"Okay, give us a minute to make sure none of them can give us the slip. Wait for my signal." Venus told her.

Moon nodded, "Okay"

Venus relayed the message around to the others, and they began to pool their powers to try to keep the monsters from getting away.

Sailor Moon glanced around, searching the dark shadows that were cast by the attractions of the amusement park. She wondered briefly if Sailor Shadow was there somewhere, watching to see if she was needed. She had shown up several times during the battles over the last month, always sitting on the sidelines, but stepping in as soon as someone seemed to be in danger.

None of them had been able to get a good look at her yet, she always seemed to stay in a dark enough area to keep them from seeing her features clearly. But none of them complained since she had helped them out in a couple of sticky situations.

Looking around at her friends, Sailor Moon realized that someone was missing from the group. Tuxedo Mask was nowhere to be seen.

Opening her mind and reaching out with her bond with him, she felt that he was perfectly fine. And somewhere close by as well. Relieved, she turned her attention back to the matter at hand.

The scouts and generals had succeeded at combining their energies into a wall that contained the youmas. The multicolored swirl of light surrounded the youmas as it snapped and crackled with power.

"Now Sailor Moon!" Venus called out.

Sailor Moon whirled her tier into place and the called out her attack. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss"

Three of the youmas exploded into dust immediately, two others flickered for several seconds before crumbling also. The last two seemed to be more difficult as she poured more power into the attack.

They finally burst into a cloud of dust as Sailor Moon sank to her knees, totally exhausted. She sat there for a moment, taking deep breaths, waiting for the dizziness to pass. That had taken more power than she thought it would.

She heard the others coming toward her and forced herself to get to her feet. Her head spun and her legs were shaky, but she refused to show them how drained she was.

She felt an arm wrap and her shoulders, then Mars's voice. "Damn it, Serena. Sit down before you fall down."

"I'm okay." she responded faintly.

"Like hell you are." came Jupiter's voice from her other side as another arm wrapped around her waist to hold her steady. "You look like you could drop any second."

Unable to hide the fact that she was swaying on her feet, she allowed herself to lean against Jupiter's taller frame. Luckily, her vision was beginning to clear, so she looked around at her friends. Mentally doing a head count, she realized that Tuxedo Mask was still missing from the group.

That was odd. Usually during a fight, he didn't wander far from her side. But today's battle had been so chaotic, they had been separated Suddenly, Serena felt a rush of feeling that wasn't hers flood her body.

"Darien" she whispered. At that same moment, there was a flash of golden light about fifty yards away. A large banner like sign was blown away by the blast, revealing Tuxedo Mask battling one of the youma.

Since regaining Endymion's memories, Darien had been learning how to control his Golden Crystal again. It had been a slow process, requiring many hours of practice, but he was gradually beginning to get the hang of it.

Serena took in the sight of him, standing tall and proud, as he faced off against the creature in front of him. It made her think of a conversation they had had a few weeks before.

**_Flashback_**

They were in Elysian. Helios had a great knowledge of the power of the Golden Crystal, and had offered to help Darien regain his control of it.

Serena had been sitting one of the wide terraces of the palace enjoying the scenery and some refreshments, the book she had been reading lay neglected on the table. It was at quiet moments like these that she liked to go through all the memories in her head, separating hers from Serenity's, and then examine them for similarities and differences.

It was times like these when she realized that she and Serenity were more alike than she originally thought. Like now, she was looking out over the landscape, thinking about how pure and peaceful it was here. Right alongside that thought was a memory of Serenity sitting in almost this same spot, thinking the same thing.

She was glad her fears of turning more like Serenity once she got the memories back hadn't come true. Instead, she had discovered that Serenity had been a part of who she was all along. True, it could still be overwhelming at times, and some of the memories were so unpleasant that she wished she could block them out, but at least now they had a clear picture of what they were dealing with.

The glass door leading out to the terrace opened, and Darien came walking out. He looked tired and drained, and a light sheen of sweat covered his face. He made his way slowly over to a chair and sank gratefully down onto it.

Serena poured him a glass of the ice-cold lemonade that she had been enjoying and handed it to him. He took it with a small smile and downed half of it in one gulp.

"Oh man, that tastes good." he said on a sigh. "I swear, I don't remember it being this hard in the past to use that crystal."

Serena nodded. "I know what you mean. It's always been hard for me to channel the Silver Crystal's power, but Serenity seemed to have it pretty much mastered."

Darien leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Poor thing, he was trying so hard.

"You know, Darien," Serena said softly. "You don't have to push yourself so hard. I'm sure that it will get easier with time."

"Time may be something we don't have." he grumbled with his eyes still closed. After a few moments, he opened them to look at her. "You don't understand how frustrating it's always been for me to watch you put your life in danger all these years. I always felt so helpless."

Serena was shocked at the bitter sounding words coming from his mouth. "How could you say that?" she asked him. "You've never been helpless. You were always there to rescue me when I screwed up."

He let out a harsh bark of laughter. "Yeah, I'd show up, throw a few roses, and get you out of the line of fire, only to have to sit back and let you do all the hard work. I want to help you for once. The Golden Crystal is supposed to be as powerful as the Silver Crystal. I want to be able to fight at your side, both of us, together."

Serena's eyes were shining with unshed tears as she returned his gaze. "I know you do. Trust me, I wouldn't mind the help." She gave a forced giggle. "I wouldn't mind splitting the workload with you. I just don't want you pushing yourself too hard."

Darien blew out a breath. "I know, but I've got to keep trying."

**_End Flashback_**

He had kept training with the crystal. Every chance he could, he was practicing with it. He was often tired and cranky from his energy being low, but Serena had stayed supportive of him.

As she watched him fighting against the youma, she thought that maybe this would be his time to shine. Darien always succeeded in everything he did, and he had come a long way in learning how to use his crystal.

He distracted the youma with a rose he threw at it. It barely missed the creature and it turned to watch the flower as it sailed by.

With the monster's attention elsewhere, Serena saw Darien's hands begin to glow with a golden light as he called on his crystal's power. He shot an attack at the youma's back, it looked like a direct hit.

'_That's it, take it out.' _Serena thought to herself as she watched intently. Everything then seemed to happen in slow motion.

The youma turned and saw the attack heading for it. It leapt quickly out of the way before charging at Tuxedo Mask and knocking him back several feet where he hit the ground hard. The youma began moving in for an attack.

Sailor Moon fell to her knees as Mars and Jupiter let her go to spring forward along with Mercury, Venus, and the generals to aid the fallen prince. She gauged the distance between them and knew that they would never make it to him in time. She knelt on the ground, clutching her tier tightly, drawing on all the energy she could muster and called out, "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss."

A weak beam of energy was all that would come from it, and sputtered and died within seconds. She fell forward onto her hands and knees and stared at the ground through the tears that were building in her eyes. Images of Endymion's dead body were flashing through her mind.

'_No…No…Not again!' _she screamed silently to herself. She couldn't bear to watch him die yet again.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a bright flash of gold. She jerked her head up just in time to see the youma burst into dust. The scouts and generals all ground to a halt at this, still several yards away from Tuxedo Mask.

When the light faded, he was lying weakly on the ground. The others quickly regained their thoughts and ran the rest of the way to him. Serena could see them all talking to him, and then Kunzite held out his hand and helped him slowly to his feet.

He swayed for a second, and then seemed to regain a little of his balance. He looked around quickly, and then spotted her. He brushed off the others and began walking unsteadily toward her. The rest of them, sensing that they needed a moment alone together, stayed where they were.

It took him a few minutes to make his way to her. She was still on her hands and knees, staring at him through a blur of tears. When he reached her, he sank to his knees in front of her.

"I'm sorry Sere." he whispered. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Not knowing where she found the strength, she flung herself at him, sending them both falling over to the ground. Through her sobs, she smacked his shoulder lightly a few times.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." she wailed, sounding a lot like the Serena from a few years ago. She buried her head in his chest and proceeded to wet his shirt with her tears.

He held her tightly as she cried. After a long moment, he chuckled. "Now you know how I felt all those times you were in danger."

She pulled back to glare at him through red, swollen eyes. "That is so not funny right now, you jerk. You almost gave me a heart attack. I tried to blast the damn thing, but I didn't have the energy."

He pulled her head back down to his chest. "That's okay. For once, I can say I dusted one."

She sighed and closed her eyes. "I don't know about you, but I feel like I could sleep for a week."

"Definitely" he agreed. "Maybe we'll just stay here. I don't think I can move."

Just a few seconds later, he found out he could move. There was a loud crash as the game booth they were laying in front of came crashing down. He grabbed her around the waist and rolled both of them out of the way. When they came to a stop, they both looked over to see one last straggling youma lumbering into view.

They heard the faint cries of, "Sailor Moon…Tuxedo Mask" but knew their friends were too far away to be of any help.

Sailor Moon sat up, still clutching her tier. "I hope this works." she muttered. She called out her attack, but got the same results as before.

Tuxedo Mask's hands glowed a faint gold for a moment before it too disappeared. The youma was advancing on them swiftly, and they braced themselves for the worst.

There was a blur of movement, and then a figure was in front of them. In a blast of blue light, the youma exploded.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask stared in shock at the girl in front of them.. All they could see was her back. She was dressed in a fuku that was a solid navy blue, her hair was a medium nut-brown shade and was in a ponytail that fell straight to the middle of her back.

When she finally turned around, they could see that she had warm, chocolate brown eyes. She seemed to be about seventeen years old. She gave them a mischievous grin. "And here I thought I was getting off easy today. I guess you needed my help after all."

"Sailor Shadow?" they both gasped together.

She gave a little bow. "The one and only. I guess I don't seem too shadowy right now, being out in the light and all. But, it was bound to happen sooner or later."

The others had reached them by now, and they were all staring in shock at the arrival of the mystery scout.

Sailor Shadow was beginning to look uncomfortable being the object of such scrutiny. Suddenly a beeping sound came from her wrist.

"Excuse me a moment.," she said, flipping open what seemed to be a communicator on her arm.

"Where the hell have you been?" a voice screeched, making everyone jump. "I've been trying to contact you for the last several minutes."

"Chill out." Shadow said exasperatedly. "I was kinda busy. If you're calling to tell me about the youma attack at the amusement park, I'm way ahead of you. It's taken care of."

"Oh" the voice stammered. "Good. Now what happened?"

"I'll tell you about it later." she sighed. "I'm not exactly alone right now."

There was a moment of silence. Then a shrill yelp. "What?! You let them see you? Oh for the love of…"

"I said we'll talk later." Shadow rebuked, cutting off the voice. She clicked the communicator shut and turned back to the others.

"Sorry about that." she said. "My guardian can get a little psycho sometimes. I think the fact that she's a talking cat has seriously loosened some of her screws."

"Talking cat?" Moon and Venus said together, thinking of Luna and Artemis

Sailor Shadow laughed. "Yeah, it's weird. One day, everything's normal. The next, a talking cat comes out of nowhere and tells you that you're a sailor scout with a mission to fulfill. I seriously thought I had lost my mind"

"Tell me about it." Moon and Venus echoed each other again before breaking out into giggles.

Sailor Shadow laughed as well. "Well, I guess I better go before she has a coronary. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again."

Before anyone could say anything, she had sprinted into the shadows of the funhouse and had disappeared.

"Well, that was interesting." Mars finally drawled.

"Yes, it was." Sailor Moon whispered. Their mysterious ally had finally shown herself to them. She had a feeling the girl wouldn't be hiding in the shadows as much anymore.

Jupiter shook her head. "She sure packs a punch. She took that youma down in two seconds flat."

There was a sound of sirens in the distance. Kunzite spoke up, "I think it's for the best if we all detransform and get out of here."

They all agreed. Serena and Darien were both helped to their feet. They all went behind one of the attractions and let go of their transformations. Then, looking like ordinary civilians, they began walking through the damaged park.

Once they had reached the exit and left the destruction behind, they grouped together for a chat.

"Where were the Outers?" Lita growled to Serena. "I can't believe they didn't show."

Serena was leaning against Darien, who was leaning against her, trying to hold each other up. Her cheeks flushed at the question. "I didn't call them." she stated simply.

"What?!" was the unified response.

She took a breath. "Rini is with them right now. Talon seems so intrigued by her that I didn't want to take the chance of him showing up while she's around."

They all shook their heads at Serena's maternal instincts. Jadeite then asked, "Now what?"

"Well I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to the arcade for a burger and a shake." Serena replied. "Then I'm going to go find a bed and pass out for the next week."

"I've got one you can use." Darien whispered in her ear. "If you don't mind sharing."

Serena blushed and pushed his shoulder lightly. "That would be counterproductive. I know exactly how much sleep I would get in bed with you."

His eyes gleamed wickedly as he put an arm around her waist. "I promise I'll let you rest. I could use it myself, I'm not exactly in top form either. But later…" he trailed off suggestively.

Serena never had been able to deny him anything when he turned the power of his hypnotic eyes on her. "Fine" she sighed. "But I'm warning you, I'm tired and cranky. If you don't let me sleep, I'm going home."

"I promise." he said happily. "Now let's go get that burger and shake."

They said goodbye to the others, and then began walking slowly down the sidewalk, still leaning against each other for support.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the city. This was a good camouflage to help hide the sight of a girl leaping from the top of a tall building to a second floor balcony on the apartment complex next door.

She slid the glass door open and stepped inside. Once inside the bedroom, she let her transformation go. Quickly changing clothes, she grabbed a bag and headed out the door. Walking down a hallway, she then entered a spacious living room. Seeing nobody else around, she headed for the front door.

She had reached the door and had a hand on the knob, when she heard the sound of two throats being cleared behind her. Turning around, she was confronted with the sight of a woman and a cat standing in the kitchen doorway, looking at her expectantly.

"Uh…Hi" she stammered. "I would love to stay and chat, but I've really gotta run right now. See ya later."

She was turning the door knob when a voice rang out, "Hold it right there, young lady."

The girl sighed, so much for making a clean getaway. "Look, I know you want to know about what happened this afternoon, but I'm in a hurry."

The ginger colored cat walked toward her. "No, we will talk now." the cat demanded in a no nonsense tone. "How is it that you revealed yourself in front of the others?"

The girl turned to look at the feline. "I couldn't help it. The prince and princess were completely wiped out. They were about to be flattened like pancakes and the scouts and generals were too far away to help. I couldn't get a clear shot from where I was hiding, so I jumped in and blasted the sucker. End of story."

Now the woman came forward. "No it's not end of story. You were supposed to stay on the sidelines. Finding out what we can about Talon so that he can be defeated is your mission, not jumping into the middle of a youma fight."

The girl turned angry eyes on them both. "So I'm just supposed to sit there and watch them get slaughtered, is that it? I'm tired of not being involved. This sneaking around is accomplishing nothing. I have the power to help them, and that's what I'm going to do."

The cat growled. "Your duty is to the princess. Protecting her and the crystal is your top priority. Not getting involved in a thousand year old vendetta."

"They're fighting for her too." she argued. "I'm sorry, Nebula. But I'm going active in this fight. Maybe that will draw Talon out from whatever rock he's been hiding under. And then maybe, I can figure out how to take him out. That's what you have been training me for the last four years for, isn't it? That will remove the threat to your precious princess, and I can get my life back."

The cat and the woman stared in shock at the vehement words coming from the young girl's mouth. They wanted this fight done and over with as much as she did. They had always known that the girl in front of them would be the one to end it, but it was all happening so fast.

"I'm outta here for a while." the girl said, taking advantage of their silence. She opened the door and quickly left, closing it behind her.

The cat sighed. "Well I guess this is the beginning of the end."

"We always knew it was coming." the woman replied. "I just hope she can handle it. This has all the feelings of a suicide mission."

They both fell silent as they thought of their young charge, praying that she would have the strength to face the powerful sorcerer, and survive.

* * *

The glass doors of the arcade slid open, admitting a weary, slow moving pair. They wandered over to the counter and took a seat on a couple of stools. The guy behind the counter looked up at them with a grin. That grin faded however as he took in their tired looking faces.

"Uh oh, now what?" Andrew inquired.

Darien answered quietly. "Youma attack at the amusement park. It was brutal."

Andrew winced. "Ouch. Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, but some of us almost weren't." Serena said with a glare in Darien's direction.

Darien rolled his eyes at her. "Don't start. Andrew, could I get a cup of coffee?"

"Yeah, sure. What about you, Serena?" he replied.

She thought for a moment. "I was going to have a shake, but I think I'll take one of my specials instead. I need a caffeine and sugar rush."

Andrew shook his head. "Coming right up."

He got them both their drinks and placed their food orders with the kitchen before walking over to make a round of the tables. He came back and joined them on the front side of the counter. He had his back to the door as they talked and didn't realize a new arrival had come in until a pair of hands came from behind and covered his eyes.

"Guess who." a soft, musical voice breathed into his ear.

"Hmm…" he mused for a second. "Let me see. Could it be my wayward girlfriend finally decided to show up for her shift fifteen minutes late?"

The hands were removed and a small fist playfully punched him in his shoulder. With a laugh, he turned to face the pouting dark blonde haired girl.

"I called and told you that my class ran late." she said in a mock hurt tone.

Andrew pulled the girl into a quick hug. "I'm just picking on you. I'm glad they finally let you out of there."

Jess let out a huge sigh. "Not as glad as I am. I don't understand why I have to take that stupid English class anyway. I lived in California most of my life. I speak perfect English thank you very much. Hell, I speak it better than that so called professor who's supposed to be teaching us."

Andrew, Serena, and Darien all chuckled at her little tirade. She stuck her tongue out at all of them before breaking into giggles herself.

"Well I guess you would like me to get to work." Jess said as she reluctantly pulled herself out of Andrew's arms. Turning, she picked up her ever-present beat up backpack from where she had sat it on a stool and headed behind the counter toward the staff room.

"Order up" came the call from the window leading into the kitchen.

"I bet that's your burgers." Andrew said as he walked behind the counter to get the plates sitting on the ledge. He deposited the food in front of the ravenous couple before being called away to wait on a customer that approached the counter.

Serena and Darien tore hungrily into their food. They had planned to get lunch earlier, but were side tracked by the youma attack. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes.

"Hey guys." Lizzy said, walking up to them. "Did you happen to see which way Drew went? I've got an order for one of the tables in the back."

Serena shook her head. "He was here a minute ago, but I didn't see where he disappeared to."

Lizzy blew out a breath. "No telling with him. I'll just get it myself."

She went to the soda fountain and began getting drinks together for her customers. One of the glasses overflowed and she looked around for a towel to mop up the mess.

"There's never a towel around when I need one." She grumbled, walking toward the staffroom. She opened the door and walked in. A few seconds later there was a loud "Eep!"

She came stomping out of the room with a furious look on her face. A few seconds later, Andrew followed her out. His hair was a little disheveled and his face was flushed.

"Aw, come on Lizzy. Don't be mad." Andrew said in a cajoling voice.

She snatched a towel from where it was looped through the ties of his apron and began cleaning up the spill. A few moments later she spun back toward him, fire snapping in her eyes

"You know, Drew" she ground out in a murderous voice. "I'm glad you finally got a girlfriend and all, but could you please keep the make out sessions away from here. Seeing my brother with his tongue halfway down a girl's throat is a surefire way to give me nightmares for the next twenty years."

Andrew groaned. "I'm sorry, okay. Now what do you need for your order?"

"Never mind, I already got it." Lizzy snapped as she picked up the glasses and stomped off toward the back of the arcade.

Andrew turned toward the pair who had been watching this whole exchange. Serena and Darien both had wide grins on their faces, which they were trying desperately to hide.

"Not a word out of either one of you." Andrew demanded. "I seem to remember a time when I was constantly nauseous from having to endure the sight of the two of you all over each other."

Serena held her hands up in surrender. "I wasn't going to say anything."

Darien just smirked. "You mean like this?" He pulled Serena off of her stool and onto his lap before giving her a deep kiss that was just short of being indecent in a public place.

Andrew snorted. "Yeah, that's it. At least I take my fun behind closed doors."

At that moment, a head poked around the edge of the doorframe.

"Is she gone?" Jess asked in an exaggerated whisper.

Andrew chuckled. "Yeah, she's gone. It's safe to come out now."

Jess came out of the staffroom, tucking a few wayward strands of wavy hair that had escaped from her braid behind her ears. "I thought I was dead. If looks could kill, I would have been toast."

Andrew pulled his embarrassed girlfriend into his arms. "Don't let Lizzy scare you. She's just upset because none of her relationships ever seem to work out. I actually feel for her. All the guys she dates end up being bums."

"She'll find the right one someday." Jess declared with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Then you can give her a hard time."

Andrew threw back his head and laughed. "You're probably right. You man the counter for a minute. I'll go make a sweep of the tables." He was actually making an excuse. Darien had given him a look and had cocked his head to indicate that he wanted to have a private word with him.

Jess waved him away as she tied her apron around her waist. Andrew made a quick run through the few patrons at the tables before heading for a back exit that led to an alley. The light haired man slipped through the door and waited. A few moments later, the door cracked open again, revealing his dark haired friend.

"What's up?" Andrew asked.

"I need a favor from you." Darien told him. "Serena's birthday is this Friday, and I was wondering if you would let us have the arcade after hours for a party. The girl's corralled me yesterday and made me promise I would ask you."

Andrew hesitated for a second. "I don't know, man. They can get kind of wild."

"I already spoke to them about that." Darien reassured him. "They promised not to destroy the place. The rest of the guys and I will be there to keep things under control. They did pretty good at the graduation party."

Andrew relented. "Okay. I'm assuming since you're having this party at my place, I'm invited."

Darien grinned. "Of course. You and Jess are both invited. It wouldn't be a party without you."

The two couples had gone out together a few times over the last weeks. Andrew, Darien, and Serena had been a close group of friends for years, and Jess just seemed to fit right in. Much more than Rita ever had the few times they had all gone out together when Andrew was seeing her.

"Don't say anything to Serena though." Darien cautioned. "We want it to be a surprise."

Andrew nodded his head. "My lips are sealed."

That settled, they both slipped back inside the arcade. Walking back to the counter, they heard the peal of giggles before the two girls came into sight. When they finally came into view, Jess was wiping tears of laughter from her eyes as Serena leaned across the counter, talking animatedly between giggles.

"So Mina gets to close to the edge," she was saying. "she falls in with a spectacular splash. She surfaces a few seconds later, screaming bloody murder for Kunzite to come help her out. Well he sat there pretending like he didn't know her, so Lita walked over to pull her out. I don't know how it happened, but she managed to pull Lita in with her. So that was how my eighteenth birthday party ended."

"Talking birthday parties are we?" Darien asked as he slipped up next to Serena and snaked an arm around her waist.

Serena nodded. "Yeah, I mentioned that my birthday was at the end of the week, so we got to swapping stories."

Darien shared a look with Andrew. "Oh, well maybe this year you can have a quieter birthday. No Mina's falling in the lake or anything."

Serena cut a look at him. "You have something in mind?"

He shook his head. "No, not really. But I've got all week. I'll think of something."

She gave him a small smile, and he could see the extreme weariness that was hiding behind her cheerful façade. He felt the same way. Even though the coffee and food had helped boost him a little, he was still longing for a nice long rest.

"Let's get out of here." he whispered in her ear.

"Sounds good to me." she whispered back.

Darien told Andrew and Jess. "We're going to split now. See you guys later."

They made their goodbyes and left the arcade to get some well deserved sleep.

* * *

In a dark lair, deep within the earth, Talon sat pondering the mysteries going through his head. He had not been hiding as much as the prince, princess, and their guardians thought. He had been present at every battle, watching and observing.

He knew that Serenity and Endymion could pose a threat to him with the power of their crystals. But if it was handled right, he should be able to defeat them.

It was this unknown sailor scout that had him worried. He had been sneaking around the battles for the last month trying to catch up to her. He knew she was always there, hiding in the shadows. She had attacked several of his youma from her strategic hiding places during the battles, but was always gone by the time he got to the location where she had been.

Today at the amusement park had been no different. He had felt her presence and knew that she was there somewhere, but had searched to no avail. He had begun to think that this was going to be another wasted battle when the unthinkable happened.

One of his youma had cornered the drained royal couple and was about to move in for the kill, when there had been a dark streak of movement. Suddenly, his shadowy little prey had been standing in full view in the fading sunlight. He had watched in amazement as she had defeated his monster with one well-placed energy blast.

He had prided himself on making the most powerful youma ever created. It made those stupid, stumbling creatures Beryl had created pale in comparison. It was a testament to that girl's power that she was able to destroy one of his creatures so easily.

He really shouldn't be all that surprised. Since finding out Queen Serenity had placed a sailor scout as a guardian for the young princess, he had known that the ancient moon queen would have put a strong fighter in that position.

He pulled up a holographic image that he had been able to capture today. The vision of the tall scout, with her long brown hair and warm brown eyes appeared before him. She stood proudly, confident in her abilities. She was the key to getting to the princess.

He felt a presence behind him, but didn't turn toward it. He knew that all he would see would be a shapeless dark cloud of energy.

"So this is our final obstacle in achieving our goal." a deep voice rang out through the cavern.

"Yes" Talon stated simply, wishing the presence would go away.

"She could prove quite useful." the voice said.

Talon let out an angry growl. "I'll make the decisions. This is my mission. I'll not let you interfere and take me over the way Beryl allowed Metallia to do her."

"My apologies" the voice said. "I was just making a comment. But do not forget that you need my power if you hope to obtain the power which you seek."

"Leave me." Talon demanded. He felt the retreat of the dark presence as he gazed again at the vision in front of him. _'She could prove useful.' _the voice repeated inside his head.

Yes, she was powerful. She held the key to the princess's whereabouts, even if she proclaimed to not know. He could use a good woman like her at his side. Beryl would have made a pathetic queen. But this girl, she had an aura around her. She would be a perfect compliment to him. And together, they would find the princess and her crystal.

Contrary to what everyone thought, he wished no harm on the little princess. Beryl had sought to destroy Serenity and take the Silver Crystal from her, but Talon knew that a crystal worked best in the hands of its carrier. He only wished to have Melody and her crystal under his control.

He would treat her like a daughter, his own special secret weapon to go against anyone who tried to oppose him. Unlike the selfish parents of her past who only sought to keep her hidden, he would ensure her birthright, letting her be the princess she was born to be. He would help her learn to cultivate her power for his behalf.

And what better mother figure could she have than her own guardian. Yes, he needed to find out who this Sailor Shadow was and win her over to his side. Then the princess would be theirs. And then the world, the galaxy, the entire universe, would theirs for the taking.

A twisted grin formed on his face. "Look out Sailor Shadow. I will find your secrets. Then you, your princess, and her crystal will all be mine."

* * *

Serena's eyes snapped open and she stared wildly into the darkness. Her breath was coming in short, quick gasps and she had a cold sweat over her body. A deep feeling of foreboding sat like a weight on her chest.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, making her cringe. While she had come a long way in conquering her fear of storms, she still didn't like them. Lightning flashed, and she could see it around the edges of the heavy black curtains that hung at Darien's bedroom windows.

Looking at the clock, she saw it was 5 am. Wow she hadn't meant to sleep so long. They had come back to Darien's apartment after leaving the arcade to find Rini there waiting for them.

Seeing the state they were in, she had chastised them for not calling her and the outer scouts to the battle. Then acting more like the parent instead of the child, she had ordered them both off to bed. Secretly humored by this, they had both complied and had been asleep within minutes.

That had been at around 7 pm last night. She had figured that she would nap for a few hours and that would be it. Instead she had slept the whole night away.

Another grumble of thunder took her by surprise and made her jump. She brushed up against a warm body lying next to her. That made her feel much better. But when a particularly bright flash of lightning was accompanied by a thunderclap loud enough to make the building shake, she quickly burrowed herself up to the sleeping man, clinging to him like a lifeline.

She buried her head against his chest, desperately trying to block out the sounds of the raging storm. Little tremors racked her body. Then she felt the movement of the body under her as strong arms wrapped around her.

A sleepy chuckle rumbled the chest under her ear. "I thought you said storms didn't scare you anymore."

She raised her head. She could just make out his features in the glow from the alarm clock. "I still don't like them. And this one sounds bad."

Another growl of thunder sent her head burying back into his chest and her arms snaking up quickly to encircle his neck.

Darien leaned his head down to breath into her ear. "Shh, I can make it go away." He began to nibble on her sensitive lobe. He grinned to himself when he felt her breath catch and she let out a soft sigh.

He rolled her over onto her back and began kissing his way down her throat. She tilted her head back to give him better access and then arched her back as one of his hands slid under her t-shirt. After administering a couple of love bites to her collarbone, he began making his way back up toward her lips.

"I love you." he whispered against her lips.

"I love you, too." she breathed as her fingers made their way into his silky hair. She pulled his head down and claimed his lips with hers. After a few moments, Darien groaned and deepened the kiss.

The thunder intensified outside, but inside Serena was no longer paying any attention to it. She was enjoying the moment of having her prince in her arms. Lost in the moment, she barely heard the thunder. But through the haze of passion, another sound reached her ears.

After a loud boom of thunder, she heard a squeal and then the sound of sobbing. She suddenly remembered that they weren't alone in the apartment.

She broke the kiss and began pushing against Darien's shoulders. He paused and looked down at her in the dim light with a confused expression on his face.

"What is it?" he asked huskily.

Serena motioned for him to be quiet and waited. When the next clap of thunder happened, she heard it again, but louder this time. A sharp squeal, and then the choking sobs,

"Rini" she exclaimed, pushing Darien off of her and rolling to the edge of the bed. She jumped to the floor and was across the room in a flash. She opened the door and ran quickly to the room next door. Flinging open the door, she called out, "Rini".

The teenage girl was curled up in a ball in the corner of the bed up against the wall hugging her knees tightly to her chest. Her long pink hair was in tangles around her and her chest heaved with broken sobs.

"Oh Rini" Serena sighed as she made her way to the bed. She felt a little guilty for forgetting for a moment that her future daughter was as terrified of storms as she was. Sitting on the bed, she reached out and touched the girl's shoulder.

"It's okay, Rini. I'm here." she said soothingly. She felt Darien's presence as he made his way to the door. There was another loud boom, and then she was hit with a flying pink bundle of crying princess.

"Momma" the girl sobbed as her arms wrapped around Serena like a vice. "Momma…Momma."

Serena felt the bed dip as Darien took a seat next to her and wrapped his arms around both of them.

"Daddy, make it stop. Make the thunder go away." Rini mumbled.

Darien reached up a hand to smooth back the cotton candy colored hair from her tear-wet cheeks. "I wish I could sweetie, but that's beyond my control."

Another boom, lighter this time, sounded. The girl gave a shiver and latched on to both of her parent's past forms. "I don't like storms."

That brought a giggle from Serena. "I don't blame you. I don't like them either

The three of them sat like, that wrapped in each other's arms, until the sounds of the storm faded into the distance until it was only a faint rumble.

Rini had fallen back to sleep in Serena's arms, so she scooted her around until she could lay the sleeping head back on her pillow. She stood up from the bed and moved aside as Darien pulled the covers up and tucked them around their future daughter. Then they quietly slipped from the room. Once in the hall, they looked at each other and grinned.

"I wonder how many nights like that we have to look forward to in the future." Darien whispered.

"A lot, I'm sure." Serena whispered back. "But it was kind of nice to hear her call me momma. I've always felt like I didn't live up to her expectations of her mother."

Darien pulled her into his arms. "You'll be a great mother." His eyes darkened for a moment. "You always were."

Knowing he was thinking of Endymion's memories, she hugged him tightly. She also couldn't help but think of her past child. The way that little face would light up when she saw her parents. _'Momma…Daddy'_ the sweet childish voice played through her head.

"When I look at Rini now, I see it as we get another chance." Darien whispered gently to her. "A chance to raise a daughter together. No sneaking. No hiding."

Serena raised her head and looked deeply into his eyes. What she saw there was Endymion's longing for the chance to live his life together with his wife and child. She felt the spirit of Serenity rising up in her as she laid a gentle hand on his cheek.

"We do have a second chance, my love." she told him quietly. "This time we will be able to stand beside each other in front of the whole world, and no one can tell us we can't."

He lowered his face toward hers. "Serenity" he breathed.

"Endymion" she responded breathlessly.

He claimed her lips in a deep, scorching kiss. Not breaking contact, he picked her up in his arms and walked back into the bedroom, kicking the door firmly shut behind him.

* * *

In an apartment not far away, a woman and a cat breathed sighs of relief when the girl on the bed seemed to finally fall into a peaceful sleep. As she did, the storm finally died and the thunder and lightning faded off into the distance.

A white haired young man stood from where he had been kneeling beside the bed for several hours, keeping watch over the teenage girl's dreams.

"Is she okay, Helios?" the woman asked as she tucked the covers in around the now still body.

Helios sighed. "I hope so. This was the worst episode yet. Her memories are fighting to be released, and I don't know how much longer I can hold them back."

They all looked down at the sleeping girl. Resting comfortably now, it was hard to tell that she had just spent a terrifying night filled with horrifying images and visions. Except for the tear tracks running down her cheeks.

The woman gently wiped the wetness away, tears of her own in her eyes. "I know we can't stop it from happening, but I wish we could. It's such a huge burden to place on her."

The cat jumped up onto the bed to curl up close to her mistress. "The memories will come, we can't stop it, no matter how much we want to. But if they surface too soon I hate to think what would happen."

They all knew what would happen. If Sailor Shadow's memories from the Silver Millennium were awoken too soon, she would pose a threat to the mission. Buried deep inside her was the key to the princess's location. If her disastrous memories of the past were to intrude, she would be unstable, putting herself, the princess, and the crystal in a position to be taken by Talon.

All they could hope for was for those memories of the past to stay safely locked away until after Talon had been defeated. If not, the world as they knew it would be destroyed.

The girl slept on, unaware that the fate of the planet rested in her young hands.

**A/N **So that's it for now. I hope I was able to give you a little more insight into Sailor Shadow and what her purpose is in this story. She will now move into the position of a central character instead of being in the background so much. Secret identities are going to be revealed real soon. I can't wait. Remember, reviews make me smile. Later!

Sere-chan


	15. Heartbreaks and Revelations

**A/N **Okay first off, I hope this chapter goes over all right. I have had the worst sinus infection for the past week, and I admit that this chapter was written under the influence of some heavy-duty medication. The good news is that while I have been huddled in bed with my laptop praying for someone to chop my head off and end the torture, I got some really good ideas, not only for this story, but also for some others that I am planning. This story will be coming to a close probably within the next five chapters, but I'm starting to think hmm…sequel? Maybe.

Anyway, time for my hugs. You guys were great with your reviews on the last chapter. BIG HUGS to:

**xo Usako ox**

**bakagirl123 **

**ange de l'aube**

**snoopykid **

**small town minx **

**Silvermoonlight9**

**Kelly**

**SerentiyMoonGodness**

**JmacKarla**

**missmyrtlemay **

**Serandi82**

**maayanshu **

**CharmedSerenity3**

Thank you so much for your continued support. And thanks also to everyone else who has read this story and put it on alert. I hope I can continue to keep you entertained. Now on with the show.

_**ENJOY!!!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 15

Heartbreaks and Revelations

Andrew put the mop away in the supply closet. Letting out a sigh, he turned to survey the now spotless arcade. Business was done for the day, and now he had the rest of his evening to look forward to. He and Jess were going to go catch a late movie with Darien and Serena.

He let a goofy grin cross his face as he thought of his girlfriend. Bright, bubbly, and energetic, he had been hooked from the moment she had trudged into the arcade and had sat down on one of the stools and had asked if he could make a decent cherry coke. One look into those sparkling blue eyes, and he had been a goner.

Figuring that this was a one-time thing and he would never see her again, he had made her drink and had moved on to wait on other customers. Keeping his attention away from where she was sitting at the end of the counter, he kept himself busy for several minutes. Figuring that enough time had passed for her to have finished her drink and left, he finally turned to face the direction he had been avoiding.

He had been floored to see that not only was she still there, but she was looking at him and smiling. She had motioned for him to come over, so he took a steadying breath and walked over. He saw that she had opened a backpack and had some books and papers spread out in front of her.

"Hi" she said. "That drink was delicious. Do you think I could get a refill?"

"Uh, sure." he took her empty glass and turned to the soda fountain. He didn't understand why he felt so nervous around her. While he enjoyed admiring beautiful women, he hadn't felt any attraction to one since Rita had broken up with him over two years ago. That hurt had just gone too deep.

He had met Rita when they had both been sixteen. They had hit it off from the beginning and had dated all through high school. When they graduated, they had planned to attend the university together. But that summer, she had been offered the opportunity to go study for a year overseas. Knowing that this was a wonderful chance for her, he had encouraged her to go, promising to wait for her.

It had been a long, hard year. The letters and phone calls had gotten fewer and farther between. Figuring she was busy, he hadn't worried about it too much. Then the year was up and she was coming home.

She had taken him by surprise when she showed up a day earlier than she had planned. It had been a night like this. He was closing everything up when he heard the doors slide open. Turning to tell whoever it was they were closed, he had been shocked to see Rita standing there.

Overcome with joy, he had run to her and enveloped her in a tight embrace, not noticing the way she stiffened in his arms. When he went to kiss her, she pulled back abruptly.

"What's wrong?" he had asked, concerned.

She had brushed a strand of her auburn hair back, revealing deep green eyes that were swimming with tears. "I'm sorry, Andrew. I can't do this anymore. I've been offered the chance to finish my studies overseas. I'm going to take it."

He sucked in a breath. The thought of spending three more years away from her was unbearable, but he had promised to support her. "Hey" he said gently. "We'll get through it."

She shook her head. "No. It's not fair to you. I want you to move on."

He choked at the thought. She had been a part of his life for so long, he couldn't imagine being with anyone else. "I said I would wait for you, and I will. However long it takes."

She threw back her head. "Oh, this is so hard." A small sob broke through. "I've found someone else, Andrew."

He froze at the words coming from her. His mind shut down. It was like he had blacked out for a period of time, because the next thing he remembered was standing on the bridge overlooking the lake in the park.

Feeling something biting into his palm, he had opened his tightly clenched hand to reveal the emerald ring he had given to Rita the night of their graduation. Screaming out in his pain, he had hurled the ring into the lake.

Feeling lost and alone, he had stumbled his way to Darien's apartment. His best friend had taken one look at him before dragging him inside. Over stiff drinks, the horrible story made its way out.

Eventually he had passed out on the couch. He woke up the next morning to a gray, dreary day. His first day as a single man in three years, and he hated it.

Darien had left for America two weeks later, but Serena had stepped up to the plate. She and Andrew had become each other's rocks to lean on. She made sure he got out and had a good time occasionally, and he was there to listen to her feelings when she was depressed over her long separation from Darien.

In all the times he had gone to clubs and parties with Serena and her crew, he had never felt the urge to make conversation with any of the girls there. But as he turned back to deliver the drink to the dark blonde nymph at the counter, he did.

She looked to be about eighteen. She sat slumped over a book, a pen in her hand was poised above sheet of paper where she appeared to be taking notes.

"Here you go." he announced, setting the glass in front of her.

She looked up and smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem." he replied. "So, are you studying for exams? I know they are coming up soon."

She shook her head. "No, just looking over some things for my summer classes I'm taking at the university."

"Are you starting your freshman year?" Andrew asked, thinking she looked about the right age.

"Actually, I'll be entering as a junior in the fall." she responded.

Andrew was shocked. She must be older than she looked. "Wow. No offense, but I guessed you were about eighteen."

She giggled. "As a matter of fact I am. I skipped a couple of grades in school and graduated when I was sixteen."

This started a long conversation about school and the different classes they had taken. He would leave every so often to take care of another customer, but would quickly return to her to talk some more.

They exchanged life stories and talked about their likes and dislikes. Time slipped away from them and it was growing dark outside when she reluctantly packed her things away in her backpack.

"Well" she said with a grin. "I didn't get anything I was wanting to get done accomplished today. But that's okay. This was much more fun."

He felt a little guilty. "I'm sorry. Did I keep you from something?"

"No. Not really." she replied, shaking her head. "I was just going to look for a part time job today. I need a little extra cash with my shopping habits."

A crazy idea popped into his head. He had lost one of his part time workers the other day and hadn't had the chance to replace her. "I'm looking for someone to work here." he offered.

Those blue eyes lit up. "Really. Oh my gosh, that would be great. But I have school."

Andrew waved her off. "No big deal. Just tell me when your classes are and I'll work around it."

She spun around on her stool laughing. "I can't believe this. When do you want me to start?"

Her harmonious laughter was infectious. He chuckled. "How about tomorrow? Three o'clock okay with you?"

"Fine with me." she answered, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "I'll see you then. Bye."

She had started the next day. And after spending a couple of restless weeks, he had been forced to admit that he was falling in love with her.

Shaking his head at the memories, he gathered up some towels and threw them in the hamper so they could be washed. Looking at the clock, he realized that Jess, Serena, and Darien would be there any minute to pick him up for the movie.

He untied his apron and was stowing it under the counter when he heard the doors slide open.

"Hey guys" he said straightening up. "I was wondering when…" his voice trailed off.

The person standing just inside the door was not one of the trio that he had been expecting. Instead, it was the last person that he had ever thought he'd see standing there again.

"Rita" he whispered.

Long auburn hair still framed her face. Her body was still slim and petite. And those same clear green eyes stared out at him from reddened puffy eyes.

"Hello Andrew." she said quietly. "It's been a long time."

"Yes it has." he responded. "What brings you here?"

She let out a shaky breath. "I was in town and thought I would come by and see how you were doing."

With Jess's face firmly in his mind, he tamped down any latent feelings that tried to surface at the sight of his ex-girlfriend. "I'm good. How are you?"

Tears began to spill out of her eyes. "Not so good right now."

* * *

Darien chuckled to himself as he listened to the ramblings of the two women that were walking along side him. Somehow, he had gotten coerced into accompanying Serena and Jess on a 'short' trip to the mall. Actually, they had done pretty good. They only spent two hours traveling through the stores and pawing through the goods, squealing like schoolgirls when they found something they liked.

They had been forced out however when the stores began closing for the night. Noticing the time, he informed them that it was time to go get Andrew if they were going to make it to the movie on time. So they started walking toward the arcade, the two shopaholics talking about their purchases and what good deals they had gotten.

"I really think you ought to go back and get that blouse, Serena." Jess was saying. "I thought that color looked great on you."

"I don't know." Serena replied. "I don't usually wear dark colors."

Jess shook her head. "Nonsense, that shirt really made your eyes stand out, and your hair positively glowed."

Darien choked on a laugh. "Which one are you talking about? I think you both tried on about twenty different shirts each."

Serena swatted him on the arm while Jess giggled and turned so that she was walking backward, facing them.

"You know, you guys have it easy." she stated. "You can just throw on a pair of jeans and a t shirt for practically any occasion and no one thinks anything about it. Men don't have to be slaves to fashion like women do."

This brought a peal of laughter from Serena. "True. Men will wear practically anything. You ought to see this horrible green jacket Darien used to wear all the time. I wanted to burn it."

"Hey!" he exclaimed, offended. "I still have that jacket. It's one of my favorites. It'll make its appearance again when the weather cools off."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Serena muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Darien asked.

Serena pasted a bright smile on her face. "Nothing."

Jess rolled her eyes at them as she turned back around and began to walk forward again as they reached the arcade. The doors slid open at their approach and they entered the empty arcade.

"Drew" Jess called out. "He's probably in the staff room." she said as they walked behind the counter. She stopped and grabbed a glass. "All the shopping made me thirsty." She turned to the soda fountain to grab a quick drink.

"We'll get him." Serena said as she and Darien continued to the door.

Darien knocked once before pushing it open. "Hey Drew, you ready to…" his voice trailed off.

He and Serena stared in shock at the sight of Drew sitting on the couch. An auburn haired woman that they both recognized as Rita was sobbing on his shoulder. Andrew looked up at them with wide eyes and held his hands up in a gesture of helplessness.

There was the sound of shattering glass. Serena and Darien turned to see Jess standing behind them, perfectly able to see the scene inside the room. The look on her face was as broken as the glass that lay littered at her feet.

Andrew took one look at the heartbroken expression on his girlfriend's face and gently pushed Rita aside. He got quickly to his feet and walked toward her. "Jess, let me explain."

The dam holding back the tears in her eyes broke and they began to fall like twin crystal rivers down her face. With one last wild-eyed stare, she turned and began to run.

Andrew tore past Serena and Darien's still forms. Leaping over the counter, he was able to cut her off. Grabbing her shoulders, he forced her to face him. "Listen to me. It's not what you think."

Her head snapped up as red flooded her face. Her eyes snapped, not with pain, but with rage. "I'm not an idiot, Drew. I saw my so-called 'boyfriend' with another woman draped all over him. That's pretty incriminating in my book."

Andrew heaved a huge sigh. "I know it looks bad, but really…"

"I don't want to hear it." she cut him off, blue sparks flying from her eyes. "What I want is for you to let me go, right now."

Feeling her body trembling under his hands, he did the only thing he could think to do. He pulled her into his arms and wrapped them tightly around her. She stiffened for a moment and then began to struggle, but it was weak. Eventually, she gave up and slumped against his chest where he could feel her tears wetting his shirt.

Rita emerged from the staff room, her own tears still running down her face. She took in the sight of her ex-boyfriend holding the blonde girl and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about all of this, Andrew. I'm glad to see that you found somebody to love. Thanks for listening to me." Then she quietly slipped out the door.

Serena and Darien finally regained their senses and walked toward the couple. They both had a million questions running around in their heads.

"What was Rita doing here?" Serena asked, not mincing words.

Andrew groaned. "Look guys, I know that looked bad, but I swear it was innocent." He felt Jess stiffen again and he tightened his arms around her. "She's in town because her father passed away. She was all upset and alone. Her fiancé is flying over tomorrow, but she needed someone to talk to. I didn't have the heart to turn her away, no matter what happened in our past. I'm not that cruel."

Understanding lit Serena and Darien's eyes. He felt Jess pull back a little, and he looked down into her reddened, deep-sea eyes.

"So you weren't trying to get back together with her?" she hiccupped.

He let out a tired laugh. "No way. I learned my lesson with her. She's engaged to one of her professor's that she's been sneaking around with. He's welcome to her. I got someone much better."

She gave him a weak smile as he reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Do you really mean that?"

He grinned at her. "Of course I do. You're my own little ray of sunshine. I wouldn't give you up for the world."

She gave a little sob and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry I overreacted."

"Hey, I'm just glad you didn't decide to break badass all over me." he chuckled. "I've seen you in action, and it's scary."

She pulled back with a sniffle and tried to put an indignant look on her face. "Don't sound too cocky. You came close to being laid out like a bearskin rug on the floor."

Andrew winced. "Ouch, I never knew you were that blood thirsty."

Sadness came into her eyes. "It's not that. I'm just scared."

Serena and Darien watched as Andrew pulled her back into his arms. This was a side to Jess none of them had ever seen. She was always so bright and cheerful.

"What are you afraid of?" Andrew whispered to her.

Her arms tightened around his neck. "Being alone. It seems that everyone I ever care about always leaves me. My parents, my friends who swore to stay in touch when I had to move to New York after they died, I felt so alone until I moved here. Now I'm scared it will all disappear."

At her words, Serena felt tears well up in her eyes. Being lonely. That was one of her biggest fears as well. She remembered back to the day when she had fought Galaxia. After it was over, she had felt so alone, thinking all of her loved ones were gone for good. Luckily, they had been returned to her. She hated to think what her life would be like if they hadn't.

Feeling sympathy for the weeping girl, she stepped forward and touched her shoulder. Jess turned her head from where she had it nestled in the crook of Andrew's neck and looked at her with dull, reddened eyes.

"I think that's a fear a lot of people share." Serena whispered. "But you've been adopted into our crazy little family now, and we all stand by each other, no matter what. So face it, you're stuck with us."

Looking at the smile on Serena's face, Jess pulled away from Andrew and hugged Serena tightly. "Thank you." she said sincerely.

Darien and Andrew shook their heads and grinned as they looked at the two embracing girls. Clearing his throat, Darien said, "Well, I guess our plans for tonight have changed. It's too late to make the movie now, so what do you want to do?"

"How about I whip us up some snacks and we'll go upstairs to my place and watch a movie up there?" Andrew suggested. Sometimes it came in handy to live in an apartment right above the arcade.

"Sounds perfect." the two blonde girls said at the same time then breaking into giggles.

"Need some help?" Jess asked as Andrew walked back behind the counter and began pulling out glasses.

"Nah, I got it. You girls go ahead and get your gossip out of the way so you won't be chattering through the whole movie." Andrew said with a big smile.

"Yeah you've got to help me decide what I'm going to wear to my 'surprise' party tomorrow night." Serena said as dropped onto one of the stools.

"How do you know about that?" three astonished voices exclaimed.

Serena smiled mysteriously. "I have my ways."

"You've been eavesdropping." Darien accused.

Serena raised her chin high. "I have not. I just happened to overhear a conversation yesterday when Mina and Raye were talking about it."

Darien shook his head. "They're going to be pissed when they find out that you know."

"Ah" she replied. "But they won't know, because none of you are going to say anything. To them, I will be the most surprised person in all of Tokyo."

They all laughed. Andrew went into the kitchen to get some food together. Darien followed a few minutes later when the girls began talking about clothes and makeup. He'd had enough of that for one night.

Entering the kitchen, he was shocked to find his best friend leaning up against the wall, eyes closed and a shaken look on his face. Concerned, he went over and clasped his shoulder.

"Hey man, what's wrong?" Darien asked.

Andrew slowly opened his eyes. Panicked hazel clashed with concerned blue. He took a deep shaky breath. "There for a minute, I thought I had lost her."

Darien understood his friend's feelings. He thought about the times that he almost lost Serena. He had felt the same overwhelming panic engulf him.

As if reading his thoughts, Andrew asked him, "How do you do it? How do you deal with seeing Serena put her life on the line? If that was Jess, it would drive me crazy. Just the thought that she might have walked out that door tonight and I would never see her again, it just about killed me."

Darien searched for a way to explain it. "It's not easy, but it's part of who she is. It tears me apart when I see her having to fight. None of us asked for this fate. The only thing I can do is try to protect her and be there for her."

Andrew nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I never knew Jess had such insecurities. All I want to do now is make sure she keeps that happy smile on her face forever."

"Sounds like things are getting pretty serious between you two." Darien commented.

Andrew pushed away from the wall and walked over to some shelves and began gathering things to make some snacks. After a quiet moment, he turned back to his friend.

"You know" he began quietly. "I've spent years listening to Mina going on about soul mates and true love. Hell, I've witnessed it time and again. First with you and Serena, then with all the others, I guess I never thought it would happen for me. Then one day, wham…it hit me out of the blue. I can't even begin to picture my life without her in it."

Darien was glad that his best friend had finally found someone to make him happy. He opened his mouth to tell him so, but at that moment, voices rang out on the other side of the door.

"Hey guys, where's our food?" Serena's voice sang out.

Jess's followed right after. "Yeah, I can't watch a movie without munchies."

Instead of what he was going to say, Darien shook his head and chuckled. "We may love them, but one day they may succeed in driving us insane."

Andrew grinned at him. "You're probably right. Here, you grab the chips and cookies. I'll get the rest."

* * *

Serena rolled over as an annoying beeping sound broke through her deep sleep. Opening her eyes, it took her a moment to realize that the sound was coming from her communicator on her bedside table. As she reached for it, she looked at the time, 3 a.m., great. She hadn't gotten home from Andrew's until almost one. She wanted to go back to sleep so bad, but a call at this time of night could only mean one thing, trouble.

Luna's face filled the screen when she pushed the button. "There's a youma down in the shopping district. It's tearing the place apart."

"I'm on it." Serena responded wearily. Sending out a mental message to Darien, she heard his response. _'I'm on my way.'_

Getting out of bed, she reached for her transformation broach. She was just about to transform, when her door opened. A pink haired head poked through the crack.

"Is it a youma?" Rini whispered.

Serena whispered back, "Yes, but you don't have to go."

Rini came into the room and closed the door behind her. Clutching her transformation broach tightly, she shook her head. "If you're going, then I'm going."

Serena sighed. "Fine, but be careful."

Two whispered commands and some flashing lights later, the two sailor scouts leapt from the bedroom window. They ran down the street until they reached the taller buildings in the business district, then they took to the rooftops. They could hear crashes and loud roars in the distance.

The two paused when they reached the place where the latest youma was wrecking havoc. Instead of one of the humanlike creatures like what they had been facing, this one appeared to resemble a large werewolf. It seemed, like the others, it had no purpose but to cause destruction.

A thump behind them had Sailor Moon and Crescent Moon whirling around. Tuxedo Mask stood there.

He gave them a smirk. "Didn't scare you, did I?"

"Don't be a jerk." Sailor Moon said as she smacked his arm.

"What have we got?" another voice asked as several more figures appeared on the rooftop. The rest of the scouts and generals had arrived.

"All I see is the one." Moon replied. "Mercury, are there any others?"

Mercury pulled out her computer and began scanning. "No, this is the only one. But its power level is through the roof. It's the strongest one that we've had to face so far. I'm having a hard time even finding a weakness."

Uranus snorted. "Well there's fifteen of us and one of him. I say we just hit him with everything we've got."

"Patience" Neptune said, laying a hand on Uranus's arm. "I know you're itching for a fight, but I don't think it will be that easy."

"Neither do I." Kunzite responded.

Zoicite shook his head. "They've been attacking in groups. Why is this one all alone?"

"Smells like a setup." Nephrite growled

"Probably is, " Jadeite agreed, "but if they want a fight, I'll be happy to oblige."

Venus snapped. "Cool the testosterone level boys. If this is a setup, then we've got to think this through."

"Right." said Mars. "As much as I would like to barbeque it and go home, we need some kind of plan."

Jupiter smacked a fist into her palm. "I say we surround it. That way it won't know which direction to turn."

Mercury clicked her computer shut. "That's probably the best idea. Don't forget how fast some of the others have been. If it gets confused, maybe Sailor Moon can get a clean shot at it."

Their plan made, they all split up and made their way to the surrounding rooftops. When everyone was in place, they all dropped to the ground to surround the youma.

With a growl the monster turned first toward Mercury and Mars, who were with Zoicite and Jadeite. Its red eyes glowed maliciously.

"Love and Beauty Shock"

"Oak Evolution"

The youma let out a howl as Venus and Jupiter hit it from behind. The blast was intensified by power from Kunzite and Nephrite. It staggered around for a moment before settling its gaze on Crescent Moon, Saturn and Pluto.

"World Shaking"

"Deep Submerge"

It was hit with another blast from Uranus and Neptune.

Its back was now facing Sailor Moon. "Bingo" she whispered as she readied her tier. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss" She knew even before she let loose the blast that it was going to miss.

Attracted by her call and the shimmering light of her attack, it turned and saw that she was aiming at it. With a giant leap, it sailed into the air, flipping out of the circle and landing behind them. With a snarl, it let loose an energy wave that sent them all flying, slamming them into walls and light poles.

Everyone was on the ground, stunned. Sailor Moon slowly sat up. She and Tuxedo Mask had been flung into the side of a nearby building. She turned and grabbed his hand.

"Are you okay?" she asked anxiously.

He groaned as he sat up. "Yeah, are you?"

"Yeah." she muttered. "Damn it, I thought I had it." She saw the others stirring and hoped that they were all right.

A loud howl brought her attention back to the youma. It was still standing where it had been, its eyes darting between all of its victims. It leveled its blood red gaze on the person closest to it.

Crescent Moon had just sat up and was shaking her head slowly, trying to clear it after being thrown up against a light pole. The youma let out a snarl and began bearing down on her.

"Rini" Sailor Moon gasped. She opened her mouth to scream a warning as she struggled to get to her feet. But before she could get the words out, another voice was heard.

"Hey ugly! Over here."

The youma turned and everyone else's heads snapped up to see Sailor Shadow leaning nonchalantly against a street sign. Not hiding this time, she stood out in the open.

"Couldn't you have picked a better time to have your fun?" she asked sarcastically. "I was enjoying the first decent night's sleep I've had in weeks when you had to show up and ruin it."

The youma snarled and in a blur of movement, headed straight for her. In a lightning fast move, she jumped and flipped over its head to land behind it. A small ball of blue energy formed in her hands and she slammed it into its back. The youma let out one last howl before it burst into dust.

Wiping her hands on her navy blue skirt, she walked over to Crescent Moon and held her hand out to her and helped her to her feet. "You all right kid?"

Crescent Moon stared at her in awe. "Y…yeah. Thanks."

Shadow grinned at her. "No problem. That was a good chance for me to vent my frustrations. I was sleeping good and was pretty ticked off at being drug out of bed."

Crescent Moon giggled at that as all of the others came to gather around them.

"Thank you, Sailor Shadow." Sailor Moon said. "Things were definitely getting out of hand there."

"My pleasure, princess. Blasting that creep made getting out of bed worth it." she responded with a smile.

Clapping was heard as Talon materialized in the air above them. "Yes, well done Sailor Shadow. It was very impressive to see you take out one of my strongest of youma so quickly. It's also nice to see you have quit hiding."

"I'm not hiding anymore." she growled. "What do you want, Talon?"

"Temper, temper." he admonished. "What I want is simple. I want you on my side. You are the key to my ultimate goal. As the princess's guardian, you can lead me straight to her."

Shadow scoffed. "We've been over this before. I don't know where she is. And even if I did, I would never hand her over to you."

Talon gazed intently at her. "We shall see." Sailor Shadow stiffened, and he smirked. "So you know about my ability to see into other's minds. No matter. While your mental defenses are strong, I can still feel your pain, your emptiness. I could make it all go away. You could be a queen and rule at my side. With the power of the princess behind us, we could rule the universe together."

"Thanks, but no thanks." she retorted. "I like my life the way it is. Well, I will once you're out of it anyway."

Talon smiled down at her. "As I said before, we shall see. I have a feeling that eventually, you will be begging me for the oblivion I can offer you. No anger, no pain, just power."

"Why don't you bring your freaky floating self down here and test that theory?" Shadow demanded. "Or are you too much of a pansy to fight me?"

Talon shook his head with a bemused look on his face. "All in good time, my dear. Our time will come. Your fire, your passion, and your princess will be mine. Until later." With those last ominous words, he vanished.

"What an asshole." Shadow grumbled. "He'll find out the hard way that I'm no cheap date." A rumble of laughter from the others reminded her that she wasn't alone. With a sheepish grin, she turned to face them.

"That was amazing how you took that youma out with one hit." Jupiter said appreciatively.

"Yeah" Uranus mumbled. "How did you learn to do that?" She had always prided herself on being one of the strongest scouts. Now this little upstart just came blazing in. It made her feel weak and she didn't like it.

Neptune elbowed her in the ribs. "Be nice."

Shadow just laughed. "It's okay. I have been training for this moment for five years. The fact that I have been in gymnastics and martial arts classes since I could practically walk just helped out once my scout powers awoke."

"Well, I'm just glad you're on our side." Mars said.

Sailor Moon shook her head. "I am too. But now Talon is targeting you."

"That's my job, princess." Shadow protested. "My sole purpose as a sailor scout is to keep Talon away from the princess and her crystal. Once he is defeated, Sailor Shadow will cease to exist."

"Cease to exist?" Tuxedo Mask asked.

"Yes Prince Endymion." she replied. "My powers originate from Princess Melody's crystal. When my mission is complete, the spell that Queen Serenity used to grant me my scout powers will be broken and that power will go back to the princess and her crystal, where it belongs."

"But you don't know where that is?" Venus asked with her usual lack of tact.

Shadow shook her head. "I honestly don't. It's a last line of defense. If something were to happen to me, we hope that the princess is well hidden enough that Talon would never be able to find her."

"She speaks the truth." a voice broke into their conversation.

"Helios" both Crescent Moon and Shadow exclaimed and ran to hug him. Crescent Moon had a wide smile on her face while Shadow looked at her in confusion for a moment. Then a look of comprehension dawned on her.

"Ohh" she drawled. "So she's the one, huh Helios?"

Helios blushed. "Yes. I guess now you'll be tormenting me more than usual."

Shadow stepped back with a huge grin. "Definitely. You just gave me enough ammunition to last for years. So what are you doing out here? Spying on me again?"

"Just checking up." he replied. "The others got worried when you disappeared from your bed. And since I'm well acquainted with everyone here, they called me to come check."

"Wait a minute." Sailor Moon interrupted. "You know each other?"

"Practically all my life." Shadow laughed. "I guess I better go let them know I'm still alive."

"Be gentle with them Shadow." Helios reprimanded her. "They only worry because they care about you."

She sighed. "I know. But sometimes it's worse than having two overprotective mothers breathing down my neck. Later!"

She took off down one of the nearby alleys and disappeared into the darkness. The rest of them retreated away from the site of the battle and detransformed. After a few minutes of talking, they all began to leave for their homes and what sleep they could get. Soon only Serena, Darien, Rini, Helios, and Trista were left.

"Okay, start talking." Darien demanded of Helios. "You've known for years about Sailor Shadow's existence, but you never said anything?"

Serena leveled her gaze on Rini, who was trying to hide behind Helios. "Oh no you don't young lady. I know that you know more than we do about what's going on. But the fact that you didn't have a fit over some other girl hugging on Helios just makes me even more suspicious."

Rini shot a wide-eyed glance at her future parents before turning to Trista. "Puu, tell them I can't say anything. I don't want to mess up the future."

Trista smiled at the pink haired princess. "Don't worry Small Lady. The timeline is intact. Everything is going as it should." She turned to face her future King and Queen. "I promise both of you, the answers to your questions are coming. Maybe sooner than you think."

* * *

"Al..most..got it…There!" Jess crowed in triumph as she finally succeeded in attaching the last streamer in the corner.

She and Andrew had been helping the rest of Serena's friends decorate since the arcade had closed an hour ago. Darien had taken Serena out to dinner to celebrate her birthday, and they were due here for the 'surprise' party at any moment.

"Good, now get down from up there. You're worrying me. Be careful." Andrew called up from the bottom of the ladder he was holding steady for her.

"Oh my gosh, they're here!" Mina shrieked suddenly, pointing to the approaching couple visible through the window.

Jess grinned down at Andrew conspiratorially. They, along with Darien, had kept up the charade that Serena had no clue about this party. Now to see if Serena could be a convincing actress.

Jess squeaked as the doors opened, quickly making her way down the ladder. Just two steps down though, her foot slipped and she went tumbling toward the floor. Her eyes squeezed shut as she waited for the impact.

But instead of crashing into the hard tile floor, she felt two strong arms surround her. She looked up into a pair of beautiful hazel eyes. Usually these eyes were full of laughter and love, but right now they were concerned and even a little angry.

Andrew had seen Jess slip right as Darien and Serena walked in. Turning quickly, he caught her in his arms before she came in contact with the floor. She lay there in his embrace for a second before slowly opening her eyes to look at him.

"My hero." she cried dramatically, throwing her arms around his neck and planting a big kiss on his cheek.

He held her close for a moment. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah" she replied just as softly. "I always knew you would catch me if I fell."

He sat her on her feet before he glared at her. "You almost gave me a heart attack. I told you to be careful."

"I'm sorry. My foot slipped. Next time I decide to be uncoordinated, I'll make sure not to do it in front of you." Jess snapped back.

"Guys, come on. This is supposed to be a party." Mina said, coming in between them to try to relieve the tension.

Serena laughed from the doorway. "Is that what this is? I was beginning to wonder."

Everyone laughed and a chorus of "Surprise" and "Happy Birthday" went up. Serena carried out the act well, appearing to everyone that she was genuinely not expecting this party. She glanced over at Jess and winked.

Jess laughed quietly to herself. She stiffened for a moment when she felt arms encircle her from behind. She relaxed when she felt a soft breath tickle her ear and whisper, "I'm sorry. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

She turned in his arms and gave him a heart-warming smile. "I know. It's one of the things I love about you." She stood on her toes and gave him a light kiss.

He reluctantly pulled back with a sigh. "Serena's trying to get your attention. You better go see what she wants."

Jess looked around. It seemed that for now the party had split into two groups, guys on one side, and girls on the other. "Go do your guy thing. I'm going to go gossip." With a cheeky grin she went over to join the group around the birthday girl.

Andrew went over to where Darien was standing with his generals by the counter. He smiled as Darien handed him a drink that he had mixed up for him. "Thanks, I need this." He took a long sip.

Darien chuckled. "I kinda figured. Nice move by the way. I don't think I could have done any better."

"I guess hanging out with you all these years is finally paying off." Andrew said, raising his glass in Darien's direction.

The men all watched as the huge gaggle of women attempted to talk over one another. They all shook their heads at the way women acted when they were together.

Meanwhile Jess had joined the girls where they had congregated in the corner of the arcade, taking up several tables. The older ones, Amara, Michelle, and Trista were talking together while the youngest of the group, Rini and Hotaru were talking about a trip to the mall they had taken earlier that day.

Serena saw Jess approaching and patted the seat next to her in welcome. She slid into the booth that also held Raye, Mina, Lita, and Amy and smiled weakly at them.

"I guess my little tumble ruined the whole grand surprise." she said sheepishly.

Lita waved a hand. "No way. I thought it was great. The way he caught you was so sweet."

The rest of them nodded at that statement, making a slight blush rise to Jess's cheeks.

"So" Mina drawled, taking a long sip of her drink. She had already had a couple of drinks while they were decorating, making her cheeks flushed. "I don't mind telling you that I think we all had a crush on Andrew at some point back when we were in middle school. I was just wondering, what is he like, you know, physically?"

"Mina!" the rest of them screeched while Jess turned bright red and looked down.

"Just because you're free with your bedroom stories, doesn't mean everyone else is." Raye said exasperatedly.

Serena looked at the embarrassed girl's flushed face and took pity on her. "Stop it guys. Her relationship with Andrew is their business. I'll be right back. I've gotta go to the bathroom." She nudged Jess to let her out, and when they both were standing, grabbed the other girl's hand. "Come with me?" she asked.

Jess nodded and allowed Serena to drag her with her to the women's restroom. When the door was closed behind them, Serena turned to her.

"Sorry about that." she apologized. "Mina likes to think she is a love expert. Because of that, she has a problem with butting into other people's relationships. She doesn't mean any harm by it."

Jess shook her head. "It's okay. She just took me by surprise. Honestly, I wish I could talk to someone about it."

"What do you mean?" Serena asked.

Jess chewed on her lower lip. Looking into Serena's honest blue eyes, she felt like she could tell her anything. "I've never been with anyone before." she whispered.

Serena appraised the young woman in front of her. "Do you love him?" she asked.

Jess met her gaze steadily. "Yes. More than life itself."

"Then things will happen when they are meant to." Serena responded with a smile. "Let's go join the party and have a good time."

Jess returned her smile and followed her back to the main part of the arcade. Someone had started some music while they were gone, and the floor was full of couples dancing together, with a few bystanders looking on.

Darien and Andrew were still standing by the counter. Both girls smiled as they started toward them. Then all hell broke loose.

The front windows of the arcade exploded in a spectacular shower of glass as youma made it way into the building. The shock of energy knocked over tables and chairs and made everyone dash for cover.

Serena and Jess took refuge behind an overturned table. Serena peeked over the edge as she surveyed the damage and the presence of yet another youma, this one again, more beast like than humanoid. She turned panicked eyes to the girl beside her.

"I'm sorry, Jess. I'll explain everything later." she said hurriedly.

"What!" Jess exclaimed as Serena stood and called out, "Everyone, transform. Moon Eternal Power."

Other calls were heard around the room, and when the lights faded, the sailor scouts, Tuxedo Mask, and the generals were ready for action.

They all began attacking the invading youma, trying to lead it outside where there would be less destruction. Jess's mouth dropped open as she realized that the people that she had befriended were the heroes of Tokyo.

'_Holy crap, I never imagined this.'_ she thought to herself, wondering what she should do. Looking over the edge of the table, she saw Andrew peeking over the edge of the counter. He looked shocked at the sight of the youma inside the arcade, but not surprised at his friends' alter egos.

The youma let out a blast of energy that knocked everyone to the floor. Then it turned its eyes toward the counter where Andrew was hiding. A light began to glow as it gathered energy to shoot an attack in that direction.

'_Oh no you don't.'_ Jess thought angrily as she threw herself from behind the table and began running in Andrew's direction.

* * *

Sailor Moon was stunned for a moment, as were the others, after being knocked to the ground yet again by another youma. This one seemed weaker than the one from the night before, so the energy blast wasn't quite as strong. She was only blown back enough to land on her butt instead of slamming into walls. She saw the rest of her team in a similar situation and thought, _'We've got to get that thing out of here before it trashes the place.'_

Suddenly a loud scream pierced the air. "Andrew!"

Sailor Moon looked in shock at Jess jumping up from behind the table where she was hiding. Practically flying across the room, she threw herself between Andrew and the attack that the youma was sending that way.

"Jess, what are you doing?" Sailor Moon screamed as the energy blast was closing in on the girl.

There was a sudden flash of blue light. When it faded, the youma was gone, and where Jess once stood was the figure of Sailor Shadow. The glamour that had been hiding her identity faded away. The brown hair lightened to a dark caramel blonde, and the brown eyes turned blue.

Everyone sat in shock as they realized that the girl that they had befriended was actually the sailor scout that had been helping them in the recent battles.

"Sailor Shadow" Sailor Moon whispered in disbelief.

She looked at all of them with tears in her eyes. But when she heard a soft voice behind her she turned.

"Jess" Andrew said softly, not believing what he was seeing.

Her tears spilt over. "I'm sorry." she said brokenly before running out of the arcade and into the night.

**A/N **I know. This probably wasn't much of a surprise to most of you. I've had people guessing for weeks that Jess was either Sailor Shadow or Melody. So for those of you that got it right, congrats. But now we have poor Andrew to think about. If he freaks out about his girlfriend falling off a ladder, how is he going to handle her being a sailor scout? Dum dum dum…I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Later!

Sere-chan


	16. Where Do We Go From Here?

**A/N** I am so sorry everyone about the long wait for this chapter. I hope I haven't lost your interest. I was sick for a while and then had to play catch up on all of my assignments and stuff. Real life intrudes yet again. Any how, big chapter here. A lot of stuff is fixing to go down. This was a really hard chapter to write for some reason, so I hope it goes over well. This is like the third or fourth time I've rewritten it. Okay hug time. Big hugs to:

**small town minx**

**SerentiyMoonGoddness**

**snoopykid **

**xo Usako ox **

**bakagirl123 **

**missmyrtlemay **

**ange de l'aube**

**JmacKarla**

**purple_moonlight19**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**CharmedSerenity3**

**Ldsprincess**

I'm going to shut up now and let you read.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 16

Where Do We Go From Here?

Serena sighed as she stared down into the chocolate milkshake in front of her and idly swirled her straw through it. Around her, the arcade was almost back to normal. She, Darien, and the rest of their friends had been helping out all day with the cleanup. Right now, new windows were being installed. By the time the arcade reopened for business tomorrow, no one would be able to tell that anything had happened here last night.

She sighed again and stared off into space as she remembered the events that had happened here the night before, and what they found out afterward.

_**Flashback**_

A stunned silence had hung over the arcade for several moments after Jess, who had just revealed herself to be the mysterious Sailor Shadow, had run from the arcade in tears. They had all stared in shock until Andrew jumped up and ran out the door after her.

"Jess" he called out desperately as he crunched across the broken glass.

Serena quickly let go of her transformation, as did the others, and followed him outside. They found him standing in the middle of the street, looking around with a lost expression on his face. Jess was nowhere in sight.

"Damn it." he muttered. "Where did she go?"

Serena smiled optimistically. "Don't worry, we'll find her."

Darien smiled also and clasped his friend's shoulder. "Yeah, she'll turn up."

Andrew shook his head frantically. "I always knew that there was something different about her, but I never imagined…I've got to find her." He broke free of Darien's hand and took off down the street.

"You guys stay here." Serena called back to the others as she and Darien went to follow him.

Being Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask gave them the advantage of speed, but Andrew had been a track star in high school. Even though he didn't have too much of a head start, they had to kick it into high gear to catch up.

They almost had him as they were racing through the park when Serena suddenly heard someone screech her name. Pausing, she and Darien turned to find Luna and Artemis looking at them like they had lost their minds.

"What on earth…" Luna began, but was cut off as Serena scooped her up and Darien grabbed Artemis.

"I'll tell you on the way." Serena explained as they once again began running after Andrew's retreating figure.

In between breaths, the two of them managed to fill the feline guardians in on what had happened that evening. To say that both of them were stunned would be an understatement.

"You mean we've been wondering who she is, and she's been right under our noses for almost two months?" Luna yowled.

"I don't like this." Artemis mumbled. "It just seems too convenient that she always shows up to save the day and she befriended your civilian identities. She may be working for Talon."

Serena stumbled at that statement. "You don't mean that, do you?"

"He has a point." Luna agreed. "It does seem a little fishy. Part of their plan could be to get close to you to use you to find the princess. I was always a little suspicious about the whole idea that Queen Serenity would create a brand new sailor scout when she sent her whole team of scouts here. They are all trained warriors and quite capable of protecting one little girl."

"Well mother gave me scout powers too." Serena retorted.

"That was different." Luna sighed. "She knew you would need them to recover your Silver Crystal and defeat Beryl."

They saw Andrew duck into an apartment building. Serena pushed the cat's speculations from her mind as they followed him inside. He bypassed the elevators and headed for the stairs. They were right behind him. When they reached the wide second floor hallway, he headed straight for the door at the end that was cracked open just a little. It was enough to hear the commotion that was going on inside.

"Jessie, sweetie." a woman's voice pled. "Please tell us what's wrong."

Then they all heard Jess's voice wail, "I don't want to talk about it right now. Let's just say I screwed up big time."

"Jessica" another voice growled. "What did you do?"

"Just leave me alone." Jess sobbed. A few thumps were heard followed by what sounded like an angered meow from a cat. "I mean it you mangy fleabag. I want to be left alone." A loud slam of a door was heard, and then silence.

"What the hell is going on?" Andrew muttered as he reached up to tap lightly on the slightly open door.

A few moments later, the door was opened all the way to show a woman that looked to be in her early forties with dark brown hair and green eyes. She took in the sight of the three people standing in her doorway.

Then her eyes rested on the two cats and she sighed. "I guess this explains everything. You might as well come in."

Andrew stepped in first, and then turned to face the woman again. "Where is she, Dawn?"

"In the bathroom." she said softly. "Probably drowning her sorrows in a hot shower. I'm assuming since you're here, and you brought the prince and princess with you, that something happened and she was forced to reveal her other identity to you."

"Lousy, rotten, spoiled teenager." a voice grumbled from a hallway. A moment later, a rust colored cat with a crescent moon on her forehead came walking into the room. She froze at the sight of all the people there.

A few seconds later, a loud screech was heard as Luna leapt from Serena's arms and nearly bowled over the other cat. "Nebula! What in the name of the goddess are you doing here?"

Nebula pushed Luna away with a paw. "I'm happy to see you as well, Luna. But I had hoped that maybe you had learned to act with a little more decorum over the years."

Serena dropped to her knees and grabbed the orange cat into a tight embrace. "Oh Bula, I never thought I would get to see you in this lifetime."

Nebula let her composure drop for a moment as she nudged the princess's chin with her head and purred. "Serenity, I'm glad to see you happy and whole. I admit, I didn't think our paths would cross, but I have missed you."

Darien vaguely remembered that cat running around on the last day of the Silver Millennium. She had been issuing orders and bossing everyone around, but things had been too hectic to question who she was. He looked down and noticed Artemis was shrinking back into him trying to appear invisible. The poor cat was shaking.

"Artemis" he whispered. "Who is that?"

The white feline let out a low groan. "Luna's sister, Nebula. She was Queen Serenity's highest advisor, and a pain in my ass."

Nebula's amber gaze fell on the two of them then. She jumped from Serena's arms and gave a bow. "Prince Endymion, it is good to see you again as well." Then her eyes shifted to the cringing Artemis. "Well, well, Artemis. Still sniffing around my sister, I see."

Artemis's head jerked up. "Hello Nebula. Still going around and making other people's life a living hell?"

Nebula's ears laid back and she hissed. "One day you randy tomcat, you and I are going to have it out."

"But not today." Luna said, coming between her sister and, though she was loathe to admit it, the love of her life. "I believe we have more interesting things to discuss."

Andrew moaned and dropped onto a couch. "What I want to know is how my girlfriend is a sailor scout. Does she have some secret past life like the rest of them?"

Dawn walked over and laid a comforting hand on his arm. "Yes, she had a past in the Silver Millennium. But she has no knowledge of this past. She only knows of the story of Melody Rose DeLune Terra and what has come to be known as the Celestial Crystal."

Both Serena and Darien drew in sharp breaths at her statement. No one but a privileged few knew of Melody's true full name, much less what her crystal was called.

Dawn looked over at the two reincarnated royals and smiled. "I guess you are wondering how I know all of that and what my purpose is. I was there the day that precious baby was born. I watched her grow. I played with her. I remember her tinkling laugh and her sweet smile."

Serena took a step backward toward Darien, who wrapped a supporting arm around her shoulders. "Who are you?" she asked in a trembling voice.

Dawn just shook her head slightly. "It would be better if I just showed you." She began to glow softly, and the magical glamour around her began to fade. When it was complete, a young woman that looked to be about twenty-five, with waist length white hair and soft gray eyes, stood before them.

Serena's brain was trying to process what she was seeing, but Darien beat her to the punch. "Aurora?" he whispered before running over and grabbing the woman into a bear hug and spinning her around.

Suddenly everything clicked into place for Serena. Aurora had been one of the priestesses of Elysian and a close confidant of the royal family of earth. Endymion had spent a lot of time in Elysian as a child, and Aurora had become like a second mother to him. That affection had spilled over to Melody, and the priestess had doted on the small princess something horrible.

Aurora squealed. "Endymion, put me down. I was sure that being reincarnated would change you, but you're still the same precocious little boy trapped inside a man's body."

Darien laughed as he set her on her feet. "Aw, come on Rory. I think you would have been disappointed if I hadn't given you an enthusiastic greeting."

She laughed as well. "That is probably true." She turned to Serena and gave a low curtsey. "Princess Serenity, it is wonderful to see you again."

Tears filled Serena's eyes as she looked at the woman who had helped care for her past daughter when they were in Elysian. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. All she could do was fling herself at the woman and embrace her tightly, sobbing on her shoulder.

"Shh" Aurora soothed the reincarnated princess. "I know you have a million questions, and hopefully I can shed some light on them for you."

"Finally" Andrew sighed as he threw his hands up. "I was beginning to feel like we were getting off the subject. I'm still having visions over here of Jess turning into a sailor scout right in front of my eyes. I wouldn't mind getting some answers."

Serena went over and sat next to her friend and put a comforting arm around him. "Okay Drew, we'll start talking business now."

Darien sat next to them on the couch while Aurora took a chair. The three cats jumped up onto the coffee table. Artemis was at the far end, trying to keep as much distance between Nebula and himself as possible.

"Well" Aurora began. "I guess the first thing we should discuss is what happened tonight to cause Jessie to transform in front of you. She knows that she wasn't supposed to reveal her identity to anyone."

It only took a few minutes to fill her in on the attack at the arcade and how she had transformed to save Andrew from the youma. Andrew remained quiet, his eyes straying every so often toward the hallway where water from the shower could be heard running.

"So you transformed in front of her, and then she transformed to protect Andrew from an attack." Nebula said, shaking her head. "That girl. Always thinking with her heart instead of her brain."

"Now Nebula," Aurora admonished, "you can't blame her for acting on her protective instincts. You have been pounding them into her head since she was thirteen."

"Yes, I have." the rust colored cat conceded. "But that was only supposed to be in regards to the princess and the crystal. Now she's running around throwing herself into the path of every youma she comes across. She's being far too reckless."

Luna decided to speak up then. "What I want to know is how she got her powers. Were they really granted to her by Queen Serenity?"

Aurora sank back with a sigh. "Yes they were. I take the blame for that. If it hadn't been for my careless actions, she never would have been needed." Tears began to sparkle in her light eyes.

Concerned, Darien sat forward and grasped her hand. "What do you mean, Rory? How are you to blame for anything that has happened?"

The tears began to spill over as she looked into the eyes of the young man who had once been the small prince that she had cared for so deeply. A shuddering half sob left her throat. "Because it's my fault that Melody was on the moon that final day. If she hadn't been there, things would have turned out differently."

Serena and Darien both stared at the woman in shock. They couldn't believe that this gentle, graceful priestess was blaming herself for a tragedy that had occurred a thousand years ago.

"Aurora" Serena whispered. "Nothing that happened that day was caused by you. How could you even think that?"

The priestess wiped her eyes. "After you hear my story, you may think differently."

"Tell us then, and let us be the judge of that." Darien urged softly.

_**Aurora's Story**_

"That final day, when the earth kingdom was destroyed and the king and queen had been assassinated. You two left Elysian to go help Queen Serenity defend the moon. It was decided that Melody would stay behind for her safety. I, of course, naturally offered to take care of her.

Let me tell you, she was not happy about being left behind. She cried for hours and refused to even eat. I tried all I could to cheer her up, but the stories didn't seem to interest her, and she said she wasn't in the mood for games. She eventually wore herself out and fell asleep. I sat by her side the entire time, until one of the other priestesses came to ask me something. Afraid that our conversation would wake her, we stepped out into the hall.

I still don't know how it happened, for I didn't stray far from the door, but when I returned, she was gone. I immediately raised the alert, and everybody began searching frantically for her. A little while later, the alarm signaling that the transportation portal had been activated went off. Praying that it was you coming back, Helios and I ran out to the platform. But when we got there, we made the discovery that it wasn't someone coming into Elysian, it was someone leaving there and heading for the moon.

It didn't take us long to figure out what had happened. I wanted to follow and bring her back, so Helios gave his permission. I teleported to the moon, and into a scene that I hope I never have to witness again. Death was everywhere around me. I quickly pushed that aside and made my way toward the castle.

I was about halfway there when a burst of energy from her Celestial Crystal knocked me down and I almost lost consciousness. I lay there, stunned, for a few moments before I got up and continued.

Inside, the castle was seemingly empty. I made my way up to Princess Serenity's chambers, thinking that would be a logical place for a child to go if she was looking for her mother.

I arrived there to find the battle was over. Queen Serenity was on the balcony, weeping over the bodies of her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. I was too late to get the little one back to safety.

Queen Serenity then turned to me and said, 'Their deaths will not be in vain. I will use what little power I have left to send them to the future and be reincarnated on earth. Maybe then, they can be happy.'

She then handed me Endymion's Golden Crystal and asked me to bring it to Elysian for Helios to guard. That way it would be kept safe until the prince needed it again. She then told me of her plan to protect Melody and her crystal in the next life. She broke off a piece of the Celestial Crystal and told me that with its power, she would create a new sailor warrior to guard her granddaughter.

Then she asked me if I would be willing to accept a mission. When this new sailor scout was born in this time, I was to become her guardian. I felt guilt for allowing an innocent child to be so brutally murdered, so I accepted and then returned with the Golden Crystal to Elysian.

I waited a thousand years until I finally received the sign I had been waiting for. I felt the small spark of that crystal shard reenter this world, and I followed its call. It led me to Tokyo, where I met a young high school teacher named Kimberly Alexander. She and her husband Joshua were expecting their first child, and I knew the moment I saw her who that child was.

I befriended both of them and we became very close throughout the pregnancy. Several months later, Jessica Elaine Alexander made her screaming entrance into the world. The blue aura around her was intense, and I knew, that she was the warrior that Queen Serenity had spoken of.

I became her nanny, since both of her parents had very busy schedules. I lived in their home and watched her flourish into a beautiful, happy child. When her father got a job offer in America, I went with them. She was the only child born to the couple, and so she was the apple of their eye. She was also extremely intelligent and breezed through school easily.

When she was thirteen, Nebula arrived on the scene, and her scout powers awakened. At first she was scared, but then Queen Serenity came to her in a vision and explained the past and what she had been chosen for. It still took her a while to embrace it, but then news began to reach us overseas about the sailor scouts that were fighting here. I think the idea that she wasn't the only one helped her accept her destiny.

Her training was coming along well and both Nebula and I were pleased with her progress, when tragedy struck. Joshua and Kimberly were on their way home from a business dinner one night when a drunk driver struck their car. Both of them were killed instantly, leaving Jess an orphan at the age of sixteen.

It was, of course, a horrible time for all of us. At times, I didn't know if she would be able to cope with the grief. I wanted to keep her with me, but her aunt and uncle were her closest living relatives, so she was sent to live with them. I returned here, to wait until she turned eighteen and we were reunited."

_**End of Story**_

Aurora let out a tired sigh. "So you see, if I had not lost track of Melody, she wouldn't have been there. Then perhaps things might have turned out differently."

Serena got up from her seat and walked over to the priestess. Aurora raised her eyes to meet the moon princess's, expecting to see anger and condemnation in them for allowing her daughter to be savagely killed. Instead, she saw warmth and compassion.

Serena dropped to knees in front of the other woman and took her hands in hers. "It wasn't your fault. Believe me. I know better than anyone how sneaky that kid could be. She would have found a way, somehow."

Darien chuckled. "Yeah. It could have happened on anyone's watch. Don't blame yourself for it."

Hope entered Aurora's eyes. "Really?"

"Of course." Serena smiled. "But I do have some questions for you."

Relaxed now, the priestess smiled back. "Ask away."

"Why did Jess seem so surprised when we transformed?" Serena asked. "I mean she's been hanging out with us for two months. I figured that's why she was there."

"Because I didn't know." a soft voice came from behind them. They all turned to see Jess standing in the doorway to the hall. She was dressed in a white tank top and blue and green plaid sleep shorts. Her damp hair was twisted into a messy knot on top of her head, and her eyes were red rimmed.

"I was just as clueless about you as you were about me." she continued. "Even though it seems some of us around here had more information than I thought." She directed a glare at her guardian and feline advisor.

Andrew jumped up from his seat and ran over to her. She held up a hand to hold him off. "I don't want you to think that I was with you just because of who your friends are."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. "I never thought that." he murmured. "It's a lot to take in, but you're still you."

She fell against his chest. "I knew I shouldn't be starting a relationship with anyone right now. I'm scared you'll get hurt because of me."

Andrew gave a slight laugh. "Hey, I know the drill. I've been an occupational hazard for years now. Look at the company I keep." He looked to Darien and Serena. "What was that, the third time we've had a battle come into the arcade?"

The two were quiet for a moment as they thought. "Actually, I think it was the fourth." Serena replied.

"Yeah, I think that's right." Darien agreed.

Andrew smiled down at the shaken girl. "So see, things always happen around me anyway. It has nothing to do with you."

"So you're okay with this?" she asked. "I mean, with me being a sailor scout?"

Andrew let out a sigh. "I wouldn't use the word okay. I'll be scared to death every time you have to fight. But I'll learn to deal with it. Just promise me that you'll be careful."

She threw her arms around his neck. "I promise."

Nebula cleared her throat. "At least you'll listen to him. I've been telling you to be careful for weeks, but no one ever listens to anything I have to say."

The ice was broken and everyone laughed at the indignant cat's ranting. Andrew went to pull Jess into the room with the others, but she winced when the light from the lamps hit her.

"Dawn, can you dim the lights, please?" she asked in a whisper.

Aurora jumped up immediately and began turning off some of the lights. "Is your head hurting again, sweetie?" she asked in a concerned voice.

Jess rubbed her temples. "Yeah, a little. I took a pill, so hopefully it will kick in soon."

Now that the lights had been lowered, she allowed Andrew to lead her into the room. He sat back down on the sofa and pulled her to his lap. She looked over to Serena and Darien and gave them a wry smile. "Were you two as surprised as I was? I almost flipped when all of you transformed."

Serena let out a small laugh. "I don't think surprised is a strong enough word. Complete and utter shock would probably describe it better."

Jess sighed. "So what do we do now? I understand if you don't want me working with you. After all, the rest of you have been together for years. I'm just the new kid on the block. But I still have my job to do, and I'm going to do it."

Serena reached over and grabbed the other girl's hand. "Hey, we're all in this together. We all want to beat this bastard. You're a sailor scout the same as all of us. Welcome to the team Sailor Shadow."

Nebula cleared her throat. "Well I guess since this is now a group effort and we're not going at it alone anymore, we should share information."

"Indeed" agreed Aurora. "I'm sure the rest of you are curious about what has occurred with Talon between the end of the Silver Millennium and now."

Darien nodded his head. "Yes. I remember that he was a powerful sorcerer in the past. But why has been laying low these past thousand years? He could have made a move at any time and taken over the world. Why wait until now?"

Aurora nodded. "Talon has always been powerful, that is true. But he depended on Beryl in order to do his best magic. When Beryl united with Metallia, it left him at a loss. She left him behind in her quest for the Silver Crystal, so he decided to form his own plan for dominating the galaxy. When he discovered the power that Melody held, he thought he had found his new companion that could help him in his mission. Of course, her death put a stop to that, and he retreated. We believe that he took up with an evil entity that is similar to Metallia, but unlike her, he will not allow it to control him. So they use each other. Talon has the power source he needs for his magic, and the evil one thinks it will rule the universe through him. They have remained hidden for centuries, building their army and plotting the downfall of the world."

Nebula picked up from there. "When Beryl and her followers were reawakened, she approached her former lover in hopes of gaining his help. Talon turned her down, still mad about the fact that Beryl was the one that had killed Melody. He almost killed the witch himself, but when she told him that everyone who had been on the moon that day had been reincarnated, he let her go off on her own folly while he began planning on how to find the princess. That was when I knew it was time to awaken Sailor Shadow."

"So if he has had a thousand years to prepare, he must have a large army of these youma. This could go on for years." Darien sighed.

"No it won't." Jess said tiredly. "Now that I have come out of hiding, he'll go on the attack. It shouldn't be long before him and I come face to face. Then I can finally get rid of him and go back to living my life."

Serena shook her head. "You won't be doing this alone. We'll all be with you, and we'll take him down so we can all get back to normal."

Jess raised her head from Andrew's shoulder. "Thanks. I think I'm going to go to bed now and sleep off this headache. We'll talk more tomorrow."

"Meet us at the arcade tomorrow night. We need to get everyone together and talk about a strategy." Serena requested.

_**End Flashback**_

"Hey, Earth to Serena. Are you still in there?" A hand waved in front of the girl's face, making her jump in surprise. She blinked several times and focused on the girl next to her.

"Sorry, Mina." she mumbled. "I was just thinking."

The other blonde snorted. "That was obvious. You've be sitting there staring off into space for the last several minutes."

"I've just got a lot on my mind, I guess." Serena sighed.

Raye heard that statement as she walked up behind her friend. "I'll say you do. I don't think I've ever seen you neglect a milkshake like that before."

Serena stuck her tongue out at the fire priestess, and then looked down into the almost full glass of melting ice cream, milk, and chocolate. "I don't think I ever have either." she giggled.

"Well I just wanted to let you know that the outers have arrived." Raye informed her. "That means everyone is here except for our new recruit."

"Well, I guess we can go ahead and get started." Serena replied, getting up from her stool. "Jess knows all of this, so we can get started without her."

They began walking toward the back of the arcade, where everyone else was grouped together around several tables. Darien grabbed Serena's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Andrew gave her an encouraging smile and then jumped a little as a beeping sound came from his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open and quickly read the message.

"Jess is on her way. She should be here in about ten minutes." Andrew told them.

"Great, that gives us just enough time to fill everyone in on what we learned from Aurora and Nebula last night." Serena said. They joined the others and soon were deep into the story they heard the night before.

Silence reigned for a few minutes after Serena and Darien had completed their tale. Each face had a contemplative look.

"So we need a strategy." Kunzite finally broke the quiet. "Somehow we need to find a way to attack him and put him on the defensive."

"Yeah, sure, no problem. I just happen to have his address in my pocket." Mina huffed sarcastically. "We'll just walk up to his front door and knock politely."

Kunzite growled. "Watch it, blondie."

Mina just smiled sweetly at her lover and blew him a kiss. Amara made gagging noises at the sight. "Oh please, you two. Get serious." she grouched. "I think my biggest concern is whether or not we can trust Jess in a fight."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Andrew snapped. All heads turned to him. Even though he had sat in on several scout meetings over the years, he rarely ever said anything unless he had a suggestion.

Michelle quickly covered for her companion. "She doesn't mean anything against her character. It's just that Jess has had very little fighting experience. We've seen her moves, and while they are impressive and show excellent training, she hasn't really fought in any battles."

Darien stepped forward. "I figured something like this would come up. Serena and I discussed this last night. We all have our groups that we usually work with during a fight. We are going to keep her with us and evaluate her skills. If she seems like a liability, we will ask her take herself out of this fight."

Luna snorted. "Good luck with that. You heard her last night. She bound and determined to see this through to the end."

Andrew chuckled. "Yeah, she's stubborn. Once she makes up her mind about something, you can't change it."

The sound of the doors sliding open had everyone turning toward them in anticipation of seeing the newest scout. Instead of the tall blonde girl they were expecting, an orange cat stumbled in and collapsed on the floor.

"Nebula" Luna exclaimed as she raced to her sister's side. The poor feline looked as if she had been knocked around quite a bit. "Are you okay?"

Nebula raised her head and rasped, "No time for that now. You have to hurry. Jess and I were ambushed as we came through the park. She held them back while I got away to come get you. But there's at least six youma, and she's all alone."

Nobody wasted any time. With bright flashes of light and swirls of energy, everyone transformed and ran quickly out the door, leaving Andrew with the cats. He began easing toward the door, Nebula pinned him with her amber gaze.

"Oh no you don't mister." she reprimanded him. "You stay right there. You'll just cause more trouble if you follow them."

Andrew shook his head. "I can't just sit here."

Artemis grumbled, "As much as I hate to say it, she's right. They will be distracted if they have to worry about you. They need to keep their heads clear."

"I wasn't going to go running into the middle of the fight." Andrew argued. "I just thought I might be able to get close enough to see what's going on. Come on, don't you guys observe a battle whenever you can?"

"He has a point." Luna agreed. "I wouldn't mind seeing Jess in action. I've only heard second hand accounts so far."

"Okay" Nebula relented. "But you stay right with us Andrew. Jessica would skin me alive if something happened to you."

"Right. Let's go." Andrew exclaimed. He and the three cats hurried out of the arcade and ran for the park.

* * *

Sweat was trickling down Sailor Shadow's face as she faced off against the last remaining youma. She had managed to destroy five of them already and only one was left. She stumbled a bit as she jumped to avoid a blast sent her way. Her vision went blurry for a second and she shook her head to try to clear it.

These weren't necessarily strong youmas, but the fact that there were so many meant that she had to use a lot more energy than usual, and it was starting to take its toll. Slipping behind a tree, she melted into the shadows for a moment in hopes of catching her breath. She prayed that Nebula had found the others and that reinforcements would be coming soon.

'_Come on guys. I could use some help right now.' _she thought to herself. _'You said I was part of the team now. I need some of that team spirit.'_

A loud crashing sound nearby alerted her to the fact that the last youma was searching for her. Knowing she couldn't stay hidden much longer without risking the monster moving into a populated area and harming innocent people, she gathered her waning energy and emerged from the shadowy depths of the trees.

The youma wasn't too far away, only about twenty yards. Luckily, its back was toward her. She summoned what energy she could and her hands began to glow blue as a ball of energy formed in them.

"Come on, don't fail me now." she whispered to herself as she launched the attack at the youma. Completely drained, she dropped to her knees and watched, as her blast was about to connect with the monster. Horrified, she saw the beast turn at the last second, in time to see the attack heading for him and dodge it.

It fixed its glowing red eyes on her and began to advance on her. Not having the strength to move, she resigned herself to the fact that she had failed. _'I'm sorry, little princess, wherever you are. I tried, but I guess I just wasn't good enough. I hope you stay safe.'_

The snarling beast was only about twenty-five feet from her now, and she closed her eyes and pictured Andrew. "I love you." she whispered. The world began fading away, and the last thing she was aware of were anxious voices calling out and flashes of silver and gold that she could see behind her closed lids. Then nothing.

* * *

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask ran into the park followed closely by their guardians. "We didn't even stop to ask what part of the park she was in." Sailor Moon grouched.

Suddenly the ground trembled slightly and a flash of blue light was seen beyond the trees at the far northern end off the park. "I guess that's our sign." Tuxedo Mask quipped.

They all took off as fast as they could toward where they had seen the light. _'Hang in there, Jess. We're coming.' _Sailor Moon thought to herself.

They quickly made their way through the trees with the others right behind them. They reached a break in the tree line that revealed a small clearing. It was empty except for one very ugly and hairy beast like youma. There were several small piles of dust, indicating where the others had been defeated. But there was no sign of Sailor Shadow anywhere.

"Oh my god. Where is she?" Sailor Moon whispered, more to herself than to Tuxedo Mask.

Then she saw a figure that seemed to materialize out from the shadowy darkness of the trees on the other side of the clearing. A blue glow showed before a ball of energy was seen hurtling toward the monster. Across the way, the figure that they could now see was Sailor Shadow fell to her knees.

The youma turned and sidestepped the attack and began closing in on the exhausted girl. Sailor Moon panicked. "Shadow!" she screamed, pulling out her tier and pulling the power of the Silver Crystal quickly into it. Beside her, Tuxedo Mask's hands began to glow gold as he also prepared an attack.

They both released their power at the same time, and they combined together in a swirl of silver and gold. The youma was so intent on the fallen girl that it never saw it coming. As the combined attack hit, it exploded into dust.

The entire group was already running across the grass toward their friend, who had collapsed completely to the ground and detransformed. They had almost reached her when they bounced off what seemed to be an invisible wall.

Talon suddenly appeared beside the unconscious girl. He appeared to ignore the others that were pounding against the shield, but then turned to them with a smile. "Poor little scout, left all alone. It was quite impressive though, the way she destroyed five of my creations so quickly. I would love to stay and chat, but I have been waiting to catch her with her guard down so I can have a look inside that wonderful head of hers. If you'll excuse me."

"You leave her alone, you bastard." Sailor Moon screamed, pounding on the barrier.

Talon shook his head. "Such language, Serenity. I'm sure your mother would be disappointed to hear such words coming from your mouth. But I'm sure this girl has important information locked away inside her mind, and this opportunity is just too good to pass up."

He then turned his back to them and knelt down next to the unconscious girl and laid a hand on her forehead. She gave out a pitiful whimper at the contact and began tossing her head from side to side.

"Absolutely amazing. The amount of control she has over her mind is very strong." he murmured. "I also sense several memory blocks as well. But no matter, she is unable to fight me now." A black power seemed to envelop him and he closed his eyes as he began the process of trying to break into Jess's mind so he could see her thoughts.

"Mercury, any weaknesses yet?" Tuxedo Mask asked quietly.

The blue haired scout shook her head. "No. It's just like the one that he used before when he trapped Serena. There is no way through unless he drops it."

"This sucks." Jupiter growled, cracking her knuckles. "Are you sure I can't blast it?"

Mercury sighed. "Feel free to try, but I can promise you that it won't work."

Suddenly a blood-curdling scream shattered the night and Jess's body jerked violently. A blast of her blue energy knocked Talon back several feet, where he hit the ground hard on his back.

There was a flash of white light, and then Helios and Aurora, in her priestess form, stood between the sorcerer and his prey.

"You shall not harm her any further." Aurora said, malice dripping from every word.

Helios just smirked. "You better run now while you can, or you're seriously going to be in trouble."

Sailor Moon and Crescent Moon gasped as the moon suddenly began shining brighter than anyone ever remembered seeing it before.

Talon struggled to his feet and stared at the girl lying on the ground. Then he threw back his head and laughed. "Do you think I'm scared of some dead moon queen? I guess she's a little upset because I have discovered who she gave the important job of guarding the princess and her crystal to. Honestly I would have never guessed that she had given it to _her._ She fooled everyone, didn't she?"

A bright ray of silvery light seemed to shine down upon him from the moon. He cried out as his skin literally began to sizzle. "Fine. I'll leave for now. But be assured I will be back. This new information opens brand new doors."

He disappeared and the shield dropped. Everyone quickly raced to Jess's side. Sailor Moon dropped to her knees and put the girls head in her lap. She was moaning like she was in pain and tears were leaking from under her closed lids.

"What's wrong with her?" Sailor Moon asked Helios.

He sighed. "I believe Talon just started a chain reaction that could have devastating effects."

"Is there no way to stop it this time?" Aurora inquired.

"The blocks have been shattered." Helios replied. "Right now she is being bombarded by all of her memories rushing forward at once. It's not safe for her to stay here. I need to take her into Elysian, then we'll decide what to do."

"What the hell happened." a voice demanded from behind them. Andrew and the three felines came running up. Seeing Jess laying on the ground, Andrew threw himself down beside her and pulled her from Sailor Moon and into his arms.

"We'll explain everything later. Right now we have to go." Tuxedo Mask told his distraught friend. He turned to Helios. "Is it okay if we bring Andrew along too?"

Helios nodded. "Actually, that is a great idea."

"We're taking her to Elysian." Tuxedo Mask told Andrew. "Do you want to come?"

Andrew tightened his grip on the now shaking girl. "Are you kidding? I'm not letting her out of my sight."

The scouts and generals quickly formed a circle around Jess, Andrew, Helios, Aurora, and the cats. In a bright flash of light, the park disappeared and the gardens of Elysian surrounded them.

"Let's get her up to the palace." Helios said, motioning for all of them to follow.

Andrew cradled Jess in his arms and began carrying her through the garden. They rounded the fountain, and when he saw Melody's statue, he paused.

"You all right?" Darien asked in concern. He had lost his transformation and was now in his normal clothes.

"Is that…" Andrew's voice trailed off.

Darien saw what his friend was looking at and sighed. "Yeah, that's her. The one that sadistic son of a bitch is after."

Andrew shook his head. "Weird. I feel like I've seen her before."

Darien's heart lurched at his friend's words, but he covered it with a chuckle. "You see so many kids come through that arcade, they probably all look alike now."

Andrew had to grin at that statement. "Yeah, that's true. It's a good thing I like kids or I would definitely be in the wrong business."

They continued up the path to the palace and Helios led them to a room where Andrew placed the now still Jess on a bed. She still let out small whimpers now and then, but the tears had stopped and she was no longer thrashing around.

"The calming powers of this world have already begun to take effect. She is fine for now." Helios said. "Aurora, will you watch her for a while? I have something to show everyone."

Aurora stared into his eyes for a long moment before giving a resigned sigh. "I always knew this day would come. I just didn't think it would be so soon." She nodded her head. "Yes, I'll watch her."

"I'll stay too." Andrew replied, but Helios shook his head and motioned for him to follow the rest of them.

"I think what I have to show you might be interesting." Helios told him. "We won't be gone long."

Andrew nodded slowly and then leaned down to brush a soft kiss over Jess's forehead. "I'll be right back." he whispered.

The large group left the room and followed the priest down the hall and into one of the many lounge rooms located on the bottom floor. Helios went over to one of the bookshelves and removed one of the books, revealing a keypad hidden behind it. He punched in a series of numbers and the whole unit slid out to show a secret passageway.

"Huh, that's something I never knew about." Darien mumbled as he grabbed Serena's hand and they walked into the passage behind Helios, who now had Rini at his side.

They descended a flight of stairs and then entered into what could only be described as an underground oasis. A small pond that was fed from a gentle waterfall was in the center of the cavern. The natural stone surprisingly created a beautiful landscape around it. But the most amazing feature was the crystals that hung, suspended in mid air all around the space.

"Wow" Serena exclaimed softly. "What is this place?"

"This is the Crystal Cavern." Helios replied. "When members of the royal family of earth that are crystal carriers die, their crystals come her to rest. That was why Queen Serenity gave the Golden Crystal to Aurora after Endymion's death, so it could come here and join its family. Usually once a crystal comes here, it stays for all eternity. But since Endymion was reborn, it only stayed until it was time for it to rejoin its rightful owner."

He gestured over to a stone platform where two crystals hovered. Darien knew what they were before Helios spoke. One was a deep gold, and the other a soft green.

"Yes, my prince." Helios said softly. "Those are the crystals of your former parents, the king and queen of the earth kingdom. Your Golden Crystal rested beside them until Nehelenia came looking for it. I removed it and came looking for you when they invaded this land. But that story you already know. The real reason I brought you here is above us."

He pointed up to the top of a tall pillar of stone. Suspended above it was a small blue star shaped crystal. It gave off a soft sapphire glow as it pulsed with power.

Serena felt her legs give out as she stared at the object that she had only seen once in her past life. Slipping to her knees, she felt the tears that sprang to her eyes as she stared at the delicate looking crystal that had once belonged to her past daughter. It looked just as she remembered it, except that now, one of the points of the star were missing.

Darien stood still in shock along with everyone else. "Why is that here?" he finally whispered.

"I'll show you, if you will allow me." Helios told them.

One by one they all nodded their acceptance. Then Helios directed all of them to close their eyes. A white flash of light later, and they all opened their eyes to find themselves in the Elysian of the past. They were near the old teleportation platform and Helios was pacing next to it anxiously, but another Helios was standing right in front of them.

"What was that?" Kunzite asked.

"We are now inside my memories." the priest informed them. "This is my view of events that happened that final day. Just watch, and it will show you my experience.

They all watch in fascination as a figure appeared on the platform, grabbing Helios's attention and ceasing his pacing. The figure of Aurora appeared. Her cheeks were covered in tears and she was clutching the Golden Crystal to her chest as if it was a lifeline.

"Aurora. What happened?" Helios exclaimed as the woman collapsed, sobs racking her body.

Quickly climbing up onto the platform, he sank down next to her and grabbed her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. "Aurora, answer me."

The distraught woman turned wide, tear filled eyes on him. "It's all over." she whispered brokenly. "They're all gone. Endymion, Serenity, Melody, that witch killed them all. The queen gave me the prince's crystal and told me to bring it home, but she's planning something, Helios. She's talking about reincarnating all of them."

Helios stood and pulled Aurora to her feet as well. "Take the crystal down to the cavern. I'll be back soon. If Queen Serenity is planning to do what I think she is, she may need help."

The scene went blank for a moment before they found themselves in the ruins of the courtyard of the moon castle. All of the bodies of the people that had fought that day were gone. The only person left was the figure of the moon queen, draped across one of the fallen pillars.

Helios appeared nearby and rushed to her side. "Queen Serenity!" he called out in desperation.

She wearily opened her eyes and gave him a weak smile. "I thought I would see you here." she said on a breath. "It is done. They will all be reborn in the future. Everyone that senselessly lost their lives today will have another chance. I wasn't able to defeat Metallia, but I sealed her away. Serenity's crystal has been split into seven pieces to safeguard it. Please take care of the prince's, if enemies arise in the future, he may need it."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Helios reassured her. "But why did you do this? Surely you knew that this would mean your death."

The queen sighed. "My kingdom is gone. My family is gone. If sacrificing myself gives them a chance to live again, then it's worth it. I have one more favor to ask of you, my friend."

"Anything" Helios responded.

Queen Serenity opened her hand to reveal the Celestial Crystal in her palm. "Take this to Elysian as well. Talon is still out there, and he is determined to possess it at any cost. I used a piece of it to create a guardian for it, but I feel it is safest in Elysian."

"You sent the princess to the future without the crystal?" Helios asked in shock.

"Yes" she whispered. "Maybe she can have a normal childhood in the next life. The day will come when she will be reunited with it, but hopefully she will be old enough to be able to know the amount of power she wields and be able to put it to the proper use. But also, Talon will have no way to find her if he can't sense her energy. It was all I could think of to keep her safe."

Helios bowed to the dying queen. "It will be done as you requested, Your Majesty."

The scene faded, and they found themselves back in the cavern. The men were all stoically silent, while the women all had tears on their faces.

Serena sniffled. "Oh mother, you always were unselfish to a fault. Always thinking of others before yourself."

"Reminds me of someone else I know." Darien said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around her.

Serena shook her head. "No. I'll never be as good as she was."

"Oh stuff it meatball head." Raye exploded. "How many times have you thrown yourself into danger's path for us? Hell, you've even died, or come close to dying, more than once trying to protect us. That sounds pretty unselfish to me."

Serena smiled gratefully at her friend. "Thanks, Pyro."

"I have a question." Amy spoke up. "Why is the Celestial Crystal glowing when none of the rest are?"

Helios grinned. "I wondered when someone would notice that. The crystal is emitting power because its missing piece is here. Jess drained the shard she carries when fighting the youma earlier. The crystal is helping her to regain that energy."

"We all know that the crystal is powerful, but is that one piece strong enough to defeat Talon?" Zoicite asked. "It seems that it will take an extraordinary amount of power to beat him."

"That is another story that we will talk about later, for it is not mine to tell." Helios replied. "For now, I think we should go back up and see how things are going."

They all filed back up the stairs and into the main part of the palace. They entered the bedroom to find Jess still lying on the bed and Aurora sitting next to her and holding her hand.

"How is she?" Helios asked.

Aurora sighed. "Sleeping peacefully for once. Maybe we should have brought her here a long time ago. It would have saved us all many sleepless nights."

Helios chuckled. "True, but it also could have posed a whole new set of problems."

"She told me that she has nightmares a lot." Andrew said, sitting on the other side of the bed and taking her Jess's free hand in his. "Why is that?"

Helios explained. "When everyone was reborn, their memories of the past were blocked. There are certain things that can trigger them. Like when Princess Serenity recovered the Silver Crystal. She remembered being the princess and the prince and the scouts began regaining memories too. When Jess's scout powers awoke, it caused her memories to resurface. The Celestial Crystal reacts very strongly to emotions, and some of her memories of the past are not very pleasant. The shard she carries reacted very strongly and could have caused severe damage to the planet if I hadn't reinforced her memory blocks. Even then, her mind is very strong and her past is constantly fighting to be set free. That is what causes her nightmares and her headaches. We knew we couldn't keep her suppressed forever, but we were hoping to have this unpleasant business with Talon out of the way before we freed her memories. Her emotional balance could be unstable if she remembers everything, and that could mean big trouble."

"Poor thing" Serena mumbled as she thought about some of her past memories. "What is in her past that would make her dread it so much?"

Aurora turned to her. "Her best friend, who was also her soul mate, died in the fall of the moon kingdom trying to protect her. It happened right in front of her. But for some reason she is under the impression that she killed him herself. It was a frightening thing when she remembered that. Luckily we were able to suppress it before any damage was done."

"It's not just her past." Nebula said, "We have had to teach her how to control her emotions and not let them overpower her. We almost lost that battle when her parents died. Fortunately, all that happened was a small series of earthquakes, and California is used to those. We got lucky that time."

Andrew sat there silently, Aurora's words were spiraling through his head. _'Her best friend, who was also her soul mate, died in the fall of the moon kingdom trying to protect her.'_ He felt his heart break into tiny pieces.

"She has a soul mate out there somewhere." he whispered. Everyone turned to look at him as sat there with a shattered expression on his face. "I had hoped that we were meant to be, but I should have known better."

"Oh no Andrew, you have it all wrong." Aurora exclaimed. "It's not what you think."

Helios stepped forward. "Do you know why I allowed you to come with us tonight?"

Andrew shrugged his shoulders. "Moral support?"

Helios shook his head. "No. It's because you are her soul mate. Fate led you two together. You also have a past that you are unaware of. You followed her into this life for your second chance at a life that was cut tragically short. Lady Venus, I'm sure you have seen it."

Mina slowly nodded her head. As the scout of love, she was able to see the bonds between people and how strong they were. "Yes. They have an unbelievably strong link with each other. I didn't say anything because Andrew always got so upset over the subject of soul mates."

"So you're saying I'm a reincarnation too?" Andrew asked, astounded. "So who were we?"

"I will be the one to answer that." a voice said softly. "It is time for all the secrets to be exposed, for the final battle is fast approaching. The plan I set in motion a thousand years ago is almost complete. I just hope that it works the way I intended."

A soft silver light filled the room and then the translucent figure of a woman appeared. They all stared in awe at the vision. Her long hair streamed behind her like two pale banners from the buns on top of her head, and her silvery dress shimmered in the faint moonlight from the window.

Serena gasped, "Mother"

**A/N** Okie dokey guys. That's it for now. I hope this wasn't too much of a cliffhanger. I promise you won't have to wait so long for the next chapter. Please make me smile and leave me review. I depend on you guys for my inspiration and my sanity. Later!

Sere-chan


	17. Ramifications of Royal Proportions

**A/N **Okay everyone. Sit down and strap yourself in, cause Queen Serenity is in the house. A lot of things are about to be revealed. While some of you may not be surprised by what is about to happen, I still hope you find it enjoyable.

OVER 150 REVIEWS!!! You love me, you really love me!!! You guys are phenomenal. You really came out of the woodwork for Chapter 16, and I was practically jumping up and down every time a new review came in. BIG, ENORMOUS, GIGANTIC HUGS TO:

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Wow, what a list. You guys seriously rock. You are definitely my inspiration to see this story through to the end. Well here's the latest installment.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 17

Ramifications of Royal Proportions

"Mother, is that really you? Serena asked in a trembling voice.

The ghost-like vision of Queen Serenity smiled warmly at her. "In spirit, if not in body. My time is limited, and I have much to show and tell you. This is not the way I had intended for everything to go, but Sailor Pluto has assured me that the time for revealing the truth is now or we risk disrupting the timeline beyond repair."

The transparent queen glided silently over toward the bed where she looked down at the girl lying there. "I'm sorry." she whispered. "I meant for things to go differently for you. But you have lived up to your duty well, Sailor Shadow. The time will soon arrive when you will cast aside that burden and live this life that you have been given to the fullest extent."

She then turned to Andrew. "You want to know who you were? All you have to do is look deeply inside yourself. While being reincarnated means that you might have different interests or even slightly different personalities than your past self, the soul is the same. So in all actuality, you are still the same person and have never changed."

Serena laughed. "Enough of the philosophy and riddles mother. I think he was wanting to know specifics."

The queen gave her an indulgent smile. "I am well aware of that. However, these things must be addressed in the proper order. We will come back to this subject soon, but first I would like to speak with you, Endymion, the scouts, and the generals in private Serenity."

Helios gave a small bow. "Please feel free to use any of the rooms, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, my dear friend." The queen motioned for them to follow her, and they all filed out of the room and down the long hall until they reached the empty ballroom. They quickly went inside and closed the door behind them.

Queen Serenity turned and surveyed them all fondly. "I am glad to see that at least part of my plan has worked. It is a wondrous sight to see all of you together again as it was meant to be. I hope that, in spite of the obstacles that you have had to face, that you are all happy with your second chance."

The smiles and nods must have convinced her, for she wore a relieved look on her face. Then she turned serious once again. "I must ask a favor of all of you. I want to accompany me on one last trip into the memories of the past. It is easier for me to show you the events than to explain them."

Murmurs of agreement were heard around the room and Serena stepped forward. "Of course we'll do it. If it helps us in this fight, then we will gladly see what you have to show us."

The queen sighed. "Very well. I warn you though, we will be going back to that final day. I will show you not only my memories of what transpired, but someone else's as well. I hope it will explain why I did what I did. Now everyone, close your eyes."

They did as instructed and a silver glow encompassed them. When they opened their eyes again, they were greeted with a gruesome sight. They were on the edge of the battlefield on the last day of the Silver Millennium.

A thump behind them had them all turning around. A little girl with long blonde curls and dressed in a light pink dress was sitting on the ground, cradling her elbow where she had scraped it when she had fallen. She sniffled and blinked back tears as she climbed to her feet.

"Stupid rock." she muttered as she kicked at a rock on the ground, obviously the source of her fall. She paused and surveyed the destruction in front of her. "I gotta keep going. Momma and Daddy are here somewhere, and I gotta find them." She squared her little shoulders and began walking toward the carnage.

Serena lurched forward. "Melody, stop! Don't go that way!"

Darien grabbed her by the arm. "Sweetheart, this is just a memory. It isn't real."

Queen Serenity nodded. "That's right. This is just a vision of Melody's memories from that day. Let's follow her and you will see what happened before that final confrontation on the balcony."

They all followed slowly, trying to block out the girl's sobs as she came across nightmarish sights that no child should ever have to witness. She was stumbling blindly through the strewn bodies when a sudden explosion knocked her to the ground.

"Ouch" she whined, sitting up and looking around. "What was that?" Suddenly her head whipped up and a smile crossed her face. Everyone looked in the same direction she was and saw a tall figure in the distance that was draped in a long black cape.

"Daddy" she whispered, making everyone gasp as they realized that it was Endymion who was hurrying toward the castle, in the opposite direction of the little girl. "Daddy" she called louder, getting to her feet and beginning to run.

She stopped, her face red and tears streaming down her cheeks. She took a deep breath and screamed, "Daddy" right as another explosion hit. She was thrown down again and laid there for a few minutes until she caught the breath that had been knocked out of her. Finally she sat up and looked for her father, but he had disappeared inside the castle by this time.

Darien groaned. "I can't believe she was so close and I didn't know. If only I had heard her."

Serena reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Hey, you had a lot on your mind. I wouldn't have noticed her either. Who would expect a five year old to show up on a battlefield?"

They watched as Melody once again got up from the ground and headed for the castle. She traveled quite a ways without incident before stopping again with a startled yelp. "Aunt Ami, Uncle Zoicite" she whispered. Sure enough, not far from her were the bodies of Sailor Mercury and Zoicite. She backed away from the sight of their deathly still bodies only to confront another horror.

"Aunt Rei, Uncle Jadeite" her voice was shaking now as she gazed upon the deceased forms of Sailor Mars and Jadeite. She closed her eyes tightly and began running, only to trip and fall again.

She raised her head. Just a few feet from her were the lifeless pair of Sailor Jupiter and Nephrite. "No, Aunt Makoto and Uncle Nephrite too." she wailed hysterically. "Momma, Daddy, where are you?"

Now sobbing brokenheartedly, she raced up the stairway to the entrance to the castle. Along the way, she spied the bodies of Sailor Venus and Kunzite. She took a deep breath in an attempt to stop her tears. "Don't worry Aunt Minako and Uncle Kunzite. I'll find Momma and Daddy and they'll make everything all better."

She entered the seemingly empty castle and crept across the entrance hall. The sudden sound of running footsteps had her pulling back into the shadows and hiding. A boy who looked to be about seven or eight came running from one of the side hallways. As he shot toward the door, Melody gave a gasp.

She called out to the boy, causing him to skid to a stop. He looked around wildly for who had called to him, and then breathed a sigh of relief as Melody stepped out from her hiding place.

"What are you doing here, Melly?" he asked in shock. "I thought your mom had taken you away somewhere."

She nodded her head. "She did, but she and Da…I mean Prince Endymion, came to help Grandma fight the bad guys. I didn't like being left behind."

The boy gave a short laugh. "Boy are you going to be in a world of trouble when they find out. And stop that Prince Endymion nonsense, I know he's really your dad and that Princess Serenity is your real mom."

"How do you know that?" she cried indignantly. "I never told anybody that."

He rolled his eyes. "Come on Mel, we've been friends for a long time. I can read you like an open book." He gave her a crooked grin. "You also talk in your sleep."

"I do not." she replied, stomping her foot in anger. "Wait a minute. How do you know if I talk in my sleep?"

The boy was smirking now. "Remember when Cook made us that picnic a couple of months ago?"

She nodded her head warily. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Well," he drawled, "you feel asleep in the garden after we ate. I don't know exactly what you were dreaming, but you talked about all kinds of stuff."

Melody balled up her little fists and stepped up to the older and taller boy until her nose was almost touching his chest. She glared up at him hatefully, her sapphire blue eyes snapping with fury. She growled, "If you ever tell anyone what I said, I'll …"

The boy backed away, holding his hands up in surrender. "Hey, you know me better than that. I would never tell. We're best friends, right? And best friends keep each other's secrets."

The anger melted from Melody's face and she grabbed his hand. "Right" she whispered. "We're best friends forever."

A dark, sinister laugh suddenly echoed through the hall, making both children jump. A black-cloaked form suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Oh no" Melody whimpered. "It's the bad man in black."

Talon lowered his hood and surveyed the two in front of him. "Well, isn't that a touching scene. The little princess already has a champion at such a young age. I warn you now boy, leave us. The princess has a much brighter future ahead of her, and I'm afraid you are not in it."

The boy took a defensive stance in front of Melody and Talon chuckled. "Very well then. If you think you can stand between me and what I want, I'll just have to remove you from the equation."

He shot a blast of dark energy toward the boy. Melody screamed, "Noooo!" Then there was a flash of blue light, and then vision went blank.

Everyone found themselves surrounded by a cloud like whiteness. Queen Serenity stood before them once again.

"There is more to that memory, but my time grows short." she told them. "Needless to say, that poor boy was killed. Then Talon grabbed Melody and took her to the balcony to gloat to Beryl about what he had done. You all know what happened then. But now I want to show you my memory of the aftermath."

The whiteness faded away, and they found themselves standing on the balcony of Princess Serenity's chambers. Queen Serenity was kneeling over the body of her daughter.

"Serenity, my darling." she cried softly. "It is done. Your Silver Crystal has been split into seven pieces and sealed inside of different carriers for its safety. That way no one can get their hands on it. I know my seal on Beryl and Metallia will not last forever, so I grant to you the powers of a sailor scout. If the evil forces ever rise again, you will become Sailor Moon. With the help of your fellow scouts, you will be able to retrieve your crystal and hopefully defeat them once and for all."

She then turned her gaze to Endymion. "Brave prince. The love that you have shown my daughter has known no bounds. I know that you will continue to protect her in the next life, as you did in this one. I have no need to grant you powers, for you carry your own inside you already. If Sailor Moon is ever called to battle, I know that you will rise to the occasion and become her champion once more."

A tiny sob left the queen as she focused her attention on the smallest of the bodies lying on the ground. "My precious little one. Even though you were born with a curse hanging over your head, you managed to bring light and happiness to everyone you ever came in contact with. In spite of the secrecy you had to live in, you lived your short life to the fullest. I pray that in your next life, you will be able to continue with that passion for living and grow into the strong and confident woman that I know you can become."

The queen opened her hand to reveal the Celestial Crystal and the shard that she had broken off. ""This was too much power to ask of one so young to hold, so I will make sure that this is put in a safe place until the time comes for you to reclaim it. Perhaps when you are older, you will understand the gift that you have been given and be able to use it wisely. I will not send you to the future completely defenseless though. With this small piece of your crystal, I will make sure you are protected in case anyone should ever wish you harm again."

The scene faded away, and the spectators found themselves back in the ballroom. They looked around in confusion for a moment. They had expected the vision to go on a reveal the identity of who Jess's past self was that had been given the duty of becoming Sailor Shadow, but instead abruptly found themselves back where they started.

Queen Serenity's image began to flicker in and out like a bad television reception. Her voice was faint when she spoke. "The moon is waning. I won't have the power to stay here much longer."

Serena quickly approached the fading vision. "Who was she, mother? Who did you choose to grant that piece of crystal to?"

Queen Serenity smiled sadly at her. "Please don't judge me too harshly for what I did. Look deep inside yourself Serenity. You already know the answer to your question. Remember your teachings from the past. Who did I always tell you was the one person someone could count on to protect them?"

Serena scrunched up her brow in concentration as she combed through the memories of her past. All the words of wisdom her mother had ever spoken to her seemed like a jumble inside her head.

"Think hard Serenity. Put the pieces of the puzzle together to find your answer." the queen whispered.

Serena looked up at Darien to see if maybe he had some clue to help her out, but he seemed just as confused as she was. She stared into his eyes, eyes that were the same as Melody's. The same as…

She gasped as everything suddenly clicked into place. Her crescent moon suddenly flared on her forehead. "Oh mother, you didn't!" she exclaimed.

Translucent tears shimmered in the queen's ghostly eyes. "What else was I to do? That was the reason why you two connected so easily and became fast friends. Your souls called out to each other. I did what I thought was best in the limited amount of time I had."

The queen's image suddenly disappeared from view. Serena choked out a sob and ran for the door. Darien caught her by the arm as everyone else stared in shock.

"Serena, what going on?" he asked. "What did all of that mean?"

She threw herself against him, crying as if her heart were breaking. Darien held her close, feeling the tears that were seeping through the fabric of his shirt.

"I can't believe I never saw it." she mumbled into his chest. "The eyes are a dead giveaway. Mother was right. It's been staring me in the face the whole time. I just didn't see it."

Darien pulled back from her and took her gently by the shoulders. "You're not making any sense. Take a deep breath and tell me what you mean."

Serena closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. She opened them and looked at him steadily. "My mother always told me that the one person you could depend on to protect you is yourself."

Darien's brow furrowed as he took in her words. He heard Amy gasp behind him and begin whispering frantically to the others. Rini walked up and put a hand on his arm.

"Did you connect the dots yet, Dad?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

Still confused, he looked back to Serena. She stared back with a frustrated look. "For crying out loud, Darien. You're supposed to be the smart one. Mother knew that the best person to protect Melody was herself. She gave that crystal shard to Melody. Jess is Melody."

Darien reeled back in shock as her words finally penetrated his fuzzy mind. "But why would she do that?" he whispered.

Serena sighed. "She knew it would be dangerous for her to be reborn with all of her powers intact. Especially without all of us there to guide her. So she gave her enough of her powers to protect her and sent the rest of the crystal here."

Raye broke into the conversation. "But why is she the same age as us now? We've been thinking that is all about a little kid, but she's a grown woman."

Amy had her computer out and was typing furiously. "I can answer that. I can't believe I didn't think to look this up before. When the power of reincarnation is used, all those that are reborn have to be born in a certain span of time. That time is no more than four to five years at most. So yes, Melody's reincarnation would be in the same age group as us."

"That's not all." Serena stated. "I figured out who Andrew was as well. Remember the little boy from Melody's memories? That was Motoki, her best friend. His father was the commander of the lunarian army and his mother was my mother's head lady in waiting."

"Oh yeah, I remember him." Lita said. "He used to follow Melody around like a little puppy. It was cute."

Raye nodded. "She had him twisted around her little finger. He would have jumped off a bridge if she wanted him to."

"They couldn't help it." Mina said softly. "They had a soul bond, a strong one too for them to be so young. If things had gone differently, they would have ended up together."

"Helios told Andrew that he was Jess's soul mate, so that proves that he was Motoki." Amy stated matter of factly.

Rini let out a huge sigh and flopped down in one of the chairs that lined the room. "I am so glad that all of this is out in the open. I have been biting my tongue for weeks to keep from spilling the beans. It sucks when you know something and can't tell anyone."

Serena gave a small laugh and tugged on one of the pink pigtails. "I'm actually quite proud of you. I never thought you could keep a secret for so long."

Rini stuck her tongue out at her future mother. "Shows what you know. I'm from your future. I know lots of things that I haven't told you about."

"Fine" Serena snapped. "Since you're so all knowing, I'm assuming that everything turns out okay and Jess is safe and alive with us in the future."

Rini opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by Trista. "Remember Small Lady, you can't give out any information about the future. They know too much already as it is."

Rini's mouth snapped shut. After a moment of pouting she mumbled, "I know. And you can't call me Small Lady anymore. I turned sixteen yesterday, so now I'm no longer Small Lady."

Serena slapped a hand to her forehead. She couldn't believe that she had forgotten that her future daughter shared her birthday. "Omigosh. It completely slipped my mind. I'm so sorry Rini. I can't believe I forgot. I feel so horrible. I bet my future self is so upset that you didn't come home for your birthday. Oh, I'm going to be a horrible mother someday." This last part came out as a wail, sounding a lot like the Serena of years gone by.

Rini clapped her hands to her ears along with everyone else. "Geez, chill Serena." she shrieked, sounding a lot like Serena herself. "I talked this over with my mom and dad before I came back here. They already knew that I wouldn't be back in time for my birthday. They're planning a big bash for me when I go back home."

Serena sniffled. "Really. Well I still feel like we need to do something. When everything calms down, I want to take you out. Whatever you want to do. Okay?"

Rini grinned. "Okay. That sounds great."

"Speaking of calming things down, what do we do now?" Amy asked.

"I don't know." Serena admitted. "My mother left so suddenly that I didn't have time to ask."

A soft silver glow flooded the room and a faint image of Queen Serenity stood before them once more.

"I have pulled in enough energy to last for a few more minutes." she said softly. "I still have some things to take care of. Follow me."

With curious looks at each other, they all followed the queen down the hall to the room where they had left Jess and the others.

Serena drew in a sharp breath as she gazed at the young woman on the bed and tried to picture her as being the little girl from her past memories. She pictured her with her eyes open. Yes, those were definitely Darien's eyes in that face, but everything else was so different from what she had pictured when she had imagined her daughter as an adult.

She was tall and graceful, but the long golden blonde curls that had been so much like hers were now a dark caramel blonde that was always kept back into a tight french braid.

"What happened to her hair?" Serena whispered. "It used to look like mine."

Aurora gave light chuckle. "So it did, and it did in this life too. As she got older, it darkened to the color it is now. We all assumed that she had inherited her hair from you, but really it was her paternal grandmother she took after."

Darien drew in a breath as he thought about his gentle mother from his past life. She'd had vibrant green eyes. His and Melody's deep ocean blue eyes, as well as his ebony hair, had come from his father. But Queen Althea had had a thick abundance of dark caramel hair, the exact same shade as Jess.

"Well" Serena said in mock indignant tone, elbowing Darien in the ribs playfully. "I guess she took after your side of the family."

"What's going on?" Andrew asked from his seat beside Jess. "You guys are weirding me out."

The image of Queen Serenity floated toward Andrew. "Do you love her?" she asked simply.

Andrew looked down at Jess's sleeping form and sighed. "More than my own life." he whispered.

The queen smiled at him. "I knew you would say that. I can restore your memories of your past, if you want me to. She is going to need all of the support that she can get to get through the days to come. Your love for her could be the one thing that can keep her focused on the task that lies ahead. Are you willing to step up and be her champion?"

"For her, I would do anything." Andrew declared without a pause.

Queen Serenity smiled at him. "Then close your eyes and clear your mind. Think only of your love and your wish to protect her." She laid a transparent hand on his forehead, and a sun shaped symbol appeared there. Andrew's body jerked as the memories of his past life began trickling into his head. After a minute, the queen removed her hand and smiled at him as he opened his eyes.

"Motoki" she whispered. "Your parents were loyal subjects of my husband, who was a prince of the sun. They followed him after his marriage to me and pledged their allegiance to the moon as well. I must ask, do you accept your duty as the last surviving member of the Solar Kingdom, to protect the heir of the moon and the earth."

Andrew met her eyes dead on. "Without question, Your Majesty."

Queen Serenity sighed in relief. "Then I know she's in good hands."

She then turned to Helios. "I'm going to reengage her memory blocks. I know that if she were to remember everything at once, it would disastrous. The memories will return to her slowly over the next several days, giving her time to adjust. Do not attempt to suppress them. Bring her here to sleep if you must to keep the outside world from any damage, but this must be allowed to happen. I pray that she is mature enough to look at the past from an adult's perspective, and not through the eyes of a scared and confused child."

She leaned down and pressed a ghostly kiss to Jess's forehead. The symbol of a silver crescent moon shot through with a golden rose flared to life briefly, and then faded.

Andrew had been sitting quietly in a daze, absently stroking Jess's hand as he allowed the memories from his past life to filter through his head. He remembered the little girl with the blonde curls that had been his closest friend. He could hear the sound of her laughter and see her brilliant smile. He frowned to himself as he remembered their final moments together, the words that Aurora had spoken earlier troubled him.

"Aurora" he whispered. "Earlier you said that she believes that she killed me, but she didn't." Everyone turned to look at him at that statement. "She was trying to put up a shield to protect me, but Talon was too fast. He killed me, not her. Why would she think that?"

Aurora stared at him, speechless. Queen Serenity answered for her, "Talon is a master of manipulating minds. He can see into people's thoughts and twist them to use to his advantage. He can even project thoughts into someone's head if they don't have a strong mind. He knew he killed you, but he managed to take advantage of Melody's weak moment of grief and convinced her that it was her power that had killed you."

"That monster." Raye whispered with tears in her eyes. "How could he do that to a child?"

Lita smacked a fist into her palm. "I don't know, but he is so going down. When I see him again, I'm going to fry him up extra crispy."

"I must go now." the queen stated. "I know you will all make me proud and win this fight. When she wakes, she will be back to the same girl that you have all come to know. All of you must watch her carefully. The memories will trickle in a little at a time, but certain things may trigger one to resurface. She may be a little moody sometimes, but it will pass."

"Huh, we'll see about that." Nebula muttered. "It would be a nice change though. I swear that girl has been a giant walking mood swing since I met her."

"Oh she has not!" Aurora exclaimed in Jess's defense. "You were always so hard on her, and she had a lot on her plate with school and all of her other activities. Okay, she had her moments, but wouldn't you too. How in the world she managed to squeeze your training sessions in and was still able to graduate early, with honors I might add, and still participate on the gymnastics team and attend her martial arts class is beyond me."

Nebula grumbled, "I knew she could handle it. She wouldn't have turned out as well as she did if I had gone easy on her."

"And you've done an excellent job, Nebula." Queen Serenity reassured the feline. "I knew you would, that was why I chose you for this assignment. She is everything I could have wished for, and more. Continue to watch over her. You will know when she is ready to reclaim her destiny."

She turned to give everyone one last look. "The time has come for me to bid you farewell once again, but know that I will always be with you in spirit. Take care of each other, and above all, be happy." Her image began fading away.

"Goodbye, mother." Serena whispered softly as the queen completely disappeared.

"So what do we do now?" Mina asked.

"I suggest that we go home." Nebula replied. "I'm sure everyone could use a good night's sleep after everything that has happened tonight. It would also be a good idea to get sleeping beauty over here home before she wakes up. She's liable to flip out if she wakes up here and know something is up. She's been begging for years to come and see Elysian for herself, but we never allowed her to for fear of triggering her memories."

Helios nodded. "Good idea. Let's go out to the gardens and I'll send you back."

Andrew lifted Jess's slumbering form into his arms. She gave a little groan and her arms came up instinctively to wrap around his neck. Her head nestled into the crook of his neck. She breathed out a small sigh and continued sleeping.

Darien suddenly felt a little jealous of his best friend. He knew it was irrational. While the soul of his past daughter resided inside Jess's body, she was not his daughter now. There was no genetic link between them in this lifetime. She'd had two parents that had loved and raised her in this life, and she was also a grown woman. But knowing that that same impish little girl was locked deep inside her made his protective instincts kick in.

"Need some help?" he asked Andrew casually.

Andrew shook his head and tightened his grip around his precious burden. "Nah, I've got her. Surprisingly she doesn't weigh that much considering her height and how much she eats."

Darien had to laugh at that. "Yeah, I've always said the same thing about Serena. With all of the milkshakes, burgers, and fries she's packed away over the years, you would think that she would weigh a ton. But I can barely feel her when I carry her."

They left the palace and entered the garden once more. Just like when they arrived, Andrew paused to stare at the statue of Melody by the fountain. He closed his eyes for a moment and relived several memories of being with her in the garden of the moon castle. The days of running and chasing and playing games were starting to become clearer in his mind.

"Andrew, are you okay?" Serena's voice asked.

He opened his eyes to find her and Darien looking at him in concern. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something. It's strange to have memories of the past inside my head. It's almost like a movie that you've seen a hundred times replaying over and over. At least now I know why I felt so drawn to that statue when we first got here."

They joined the others and Helios teleported them back home. They landed back in the park, just not in the same place they had been. Instead of being in the northern part, they were now close to the eastern entrance.

Helios turned to Aurora. "I knew I couldn't transport such a large group inside your apartment. This is as close as I could get without risking any civilians seeing us."

"This is fine, it's only a block away." Aurora replied.

"Wow" Rini exclaimed, looking at her watch. "I forgot how differently time moves in Elysian. I feel like we've been gone for hours, but it's only 8:00."

Helios smiled at her and offered his arm. "In that case, would you care to join me for dinner my princess?"

Rini giggled and looked to Serena for permission. At her nod, Rini looped her arm through his. "Sure, there's this new Italian place that just opened up that looks like it should be pretty good. Can we try there?"

Helios chuckled as they walked away. "If you like."

"Don't stay out too late, Rini." Serena called after them. "We're staying at Darien's tonight, so come there."

Rini waved a careless hand over her shoulder to indicate that she heard her as they left the park.

"I guess the rest of us will get out of here too." Mina told Serena. "I'm sure you guys have got a lot to talk about."

"Yeah, I guess we do." Serena sighed. "Call me tomorrow."

Goodbyes were said and everyone began leaving, until it was only Serena, Darien, Andrew, the still sleeping Jess, Aurora, and the cats left. They left the park and made the short trek to the nearby apartment building.

Entering the apartment, Andrew headed straight for the hall that led to the bedrooms. Pushing open the door at the end, he entered the room and laid Jess gently on her bed.

Aurora came in behind him and turned on a small lamp. "Should I even ask how you knew which room was hers?" she asked in a teasing tone.

Andrew blushed a violent shade of red. "We've been dating for two months. I've been here a few times."

"Wow" Serena whispered from the doorway as she gazed around the room. Even though Jess's favorite dark blue was the predominate color in the room, as shown by her curtains, bedcovers, and area rug, the rest of the room was alive with color. Throw pillows in every color of the rainbow were on her bed and colorful scarves were draped over several small lamps that were placed around the room. But the amazing thing was the walls.

At one time they were probably a standard white, but now they were anything but a blank canvas. They were covered in framed paintings and wonderful collages of photographs. The parts of the wall that were not covered now held hand painted vines and flowers that wrapped around doorframes and windows and created additional framing for the artwork hanging there.

"It's impressive, isn't it?" Aurora whispered. "She's been drawing since she was old enough to pick up a pencil."

Serena gasped. "Jess did all of this."

Aurora nodded. "The drawing was the beginning. The painting came later, and she also loves photography as you can tell."

She motioned toward one of the large collages. It held pictures of all kinds. Some were of different teenage kids that Serena assumed must be her friends from Los Angeles. Some were simply of different buildings or sights. The ones that caught her eye the most though were the amazing views of the ocean. It seemed that there were shots that caught the sea in every form, from calm, bright, and sunny, to dark, restless, and stormy.

"Unbelievable" Darien said in awe. He was studying one of the larger paintings. It showed a garden that was blooming with flowers of every type and color you could think of. "The attention to detail is unreal."

Aurora smiled. "Jessie doesn't do anything halfway. That one was actually one of her early attempts. The father of one of her friends runs a botanic garden outside L.A., she would spend hours there painting."

"She's got a talent, that's for sure." Andrew said. "She's been bugging me to let her redecorate the arcade. I told her that the kids that come in there don't care about what's on the walls, but she's stubborn. I'll probably have to let her do it just to get her off my back."

"So that's why she's studying visual arts." Serena mused. "I wondered why someone as smart as she obviously is wasn't studying to become a doctor or a lawyer or something."

"She said there were enough people out there to do that." Aurora told them. "She would rather create things. It's her passion."

A low moan had them all turned back to the bed. Jess was beginning to shift around, finally seeming to wake up.

Andrew sank to his knees next to the bed and grabbed her hand. "Jess, baby. Are you awake?"

"Uh huh" she grumbled. "Did anyone manage to get the license plate number of that truck that hit me?" She moved a little and groaned. "Never mind, I think it's still parked on top of me."

Her eyes blinked open. They were hazy and a little disoriented, but their ocean blue depths were a welcome sight to everyone in the room.

"What the hell happened." she asked. "The last thing I remember was that giant ball of fur dodging my attack and coming right at me."

"Luckily we got there in time." Serena told her. "We got him before he could get to you."

Jess closed her eyes for a second, and then opened them again to grin at Serena and Darien. "That's usually my job to rush in at the last minute and save the day. Feels strange being on the other side for once."

Darien chuckled. "You took out five of them by yourself before we got there. I would still call that saving the day."

Jess sat up, wincing as she did. "Well I have to admit, they gave me a good fight. They tried to team up on me and came at me from all sides at once. I took out two of them then, but a third one caught me by surprise. That sucker landed one hell of a hit to my ribs."

That got everyone's attention. "You were hit?" they all exclaimed at once.

Aurora was immediately all over her. "Which side were you hit? How bad is it? Do you need anything?"

Jess pulled back stiffly. "Chill out, Dawn. It's not that bad. It just bruised me. I'll be fine by morning, you know that. That's the great thing about being a scout, the whole fast healing thing. But I could use something to drink."

"I'll be right back." Dawn said, leaving the room.

Jess rolled her eyes. "I love her to death, but sometimes she is so smothering."

Serena gave a little laugh at that, but inside she felt the same as the priestess. She wanted to pin Jess down and look her over carefully and make sure she was really okay. Jess may not be Melody exactly, but her maternal instincts of the past were screaming at her anyway.

Aurora returned in record time and handed Jess a bottle of cherry coke. She turned it up and downed half the contents in seconds. Then she smiled at Andrew. "It's not as good as yours, but I guess it will do."

She sat the bottle on her bedside table and lay back down. "Why do I feel so sleepy?" she muttered.

"You used a lot of energy in that fight." Serena answered. "You need to rest and replenish it."

"Yeah, I guess." she mumbled. "I can barely keep my eyes open."

"Why don't you get some sleep." Andrew said, giving her light kiss.

"Okay" she whispered, already half asleep. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Andrew said softly, kissing the hand he held before laying it beside her. Her breathing was already deep and even as she fell asleep.

They filed out of her room and walked down the hall to the living room before anyone spoke.

"She will be monitored at all times while she sleeps." Aurora told them. "If her returning memories seem to be getting out of control at any time, either Helios or I will take her to Elysian. It's the best we can do since Queen Serenity doesn't want her memories suppressed anymore. The last time she had an episode, about a week ago, she caused a major thunderstorm."

Serena thought back to that night that had scared her and Rini so horribly. "She caused that?"

Aurora nodded. "Her soul is connected to the moon as well as the earth. They can feel her emotions and react to them. Since she's on earth, she naturally has a closer bond to it. It's why we have schooled her over the years to keep her emotions in check. It has worked remarkably well, but unfortunately she has quite a temper. Anyhow, she should be healed of her physical injuries by morning. We'll see where we are then."

Serena, Darien, and Andrew made their goodnights and left the apartment. They bypassed the elevator and went down the stairs instead. About halfway down, Andrew suddenly sat down on a step.

He buried his face in his hands. "How am I supposed to pretend that everything is normal?" he asked. "I mean, I love her for who she is now, but these past memories are making me feel weird."

Darien and Serena each took a seat on either side of him, trying to think of something they could say to make this easier for their friend.

"I know it's a lot to take in." Darien finally spoke. "At least you two are already close. It was a shock when I remembered who I was and found out that the whiny meatball head I fought with everyday was the princess from my dreams."

"Hey, I was just as surprised as you were." Serena protested. "How do you think I felt to find out that the guy I thought was the biggest jackass in all of Tokyo was really a prince that I had been in love with in the past?"

The two of them glared at each other over Andrew's head, and then were taken aback by the sound of laughter. Looking down, they saw Andrew's shoulders shaking. He raised his head to look at both of them, a big grin on his face.

"You guys were so dense back then." he finally said. "You two had been crazy about each other for months, but were too thick headed to see it. I kept watching and waiting for you to figure it out."

Serena and Darien looked at each other with sheepish grins. They knew what their friend was saying was true. Most of their fights had been caused by them trying to fight against the natural attraction between them.

Andrew stood up then. "Thanks for the laugh, I needed it. I'm going to head home and get some sleep. It's been a hell of a night."

They said their goodbyes and Andrew left to head back toward the arcade, leaving Serena and Darien alone.

"I'm starving." Serena complained. "Let's go get some dinner somewhere."

Darien snaked an arm around her waist. "How about dessert first?"

"Ice cream?" Serena asked brightly.

Darien let out a chuckle as he leaned down to breath in her ear. "I was thinking more along the lines of chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and you laid out on my bed." he whispered huskily as he began to nibble on the sensitive skin of her neck.

Serena's cheeks flushed a light pink at what he was implying. "Why Mr. Shields, I do believe you are trying to seduce me."

"Is it working?" he asked as his lips continued up to her jaw line.

Serena turned her head and captured his lips with hers. Using her tongue, she licked at his full bottom lip. When he opened mouth to return the favor, she pulled back abruptly.

"Does that answer your question?" she whispered to him, mischief sparkling in her crystal blue eyes.

With a growl, he grabbed her hand and began hurrying toward his apartment. Serena giggled behind him. "You don't have to be in such a hurry. I'm sure we have hours before Rini will get home." she said innocently.

He paused and turned, pulling her body flush with his. "Sweetheart, it's going to take me hours to do everything that I want to do to you." Then he kissed her deeply.

Serena moaned softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, plunging her fingers into the thick black silk of his hair. She whimpered a protest as he pulled away seconds later.

"Let's go home." he said softly, taking her hand again and continuing at a fast pace. They reached his building and entered the elevator. Darien had just reached to drag Serena into his arms again, when he stopped, a sudden frown on his face.

"What's wrong?" Serena asked in concern.

"I just had a horrible thought." he replied. "My best friend is dating the reincarnation of my past daughter. That means that they are together, you know, like us."

It took Serena a moment to figure out what he meant, then she laughed and shook her head. "They're not that together. Not yet anyway. I have it on good authority. What does it matter even if they are? They're both adults and can do whatever they want."

"But doesn't that bother you?" Darien asked in amazement.

Serena thought about that for a moment. "No, not really. Jess isn't Melody, she just happens to have the same soul. In a short time, Jess has become very special to me and I want her to be happy. Andrew makes her happy, so I can honestly say that it doesn't bother me."

The elevator doors opened and they walked down the hall to his apartment. Darien thought hard over what Serena had said and sighed.

"You're right." he said, putting the key in the lock. "I guess my protective father instincts kicked in for a moment. I've just got to start looking at this objectively."

"That's what I'm trying to do." Serena told him. "Now didn't someone promise me dessert?" she asked with a smile.

* * *

It was the middle of the night, and the area surrounding the apartment building was still and quiet. There was no one around to witness the tall young man dressed all in black that appeared on the second story balcony. He peeked in through the glass doors and was relieved to find that the room was empty except for the girl sleeping in the bed.

Sliding the door open, he quickly entered the room without a sound. The thick carpet muffled his footsteps as he crossed to the bed and sat on the edge of it. He picked up the slim, pale hand that was resting on top of the covers and raised it to his lips.

"Melody, my princess." he whispered. "A thousand years we have waited to be together. You were taken from me in the past, but now you are here, grown and beautiful. We will be together soon, I promise."

The girl on the bed shifted a little and her eyes opened. Instead of the usual sapphire brightness, they showed a deep and almost soulless looking black. She smiled up at the figure sitting next to her. When she spoke, her voice was flat and emotionless.

"Yes" she said softly. "Soon we will be together and our destiny will be complete. The second prophecy will be fulfilled and the entire universe will rest in our hands."

Her eyes closed again, and he laid down her hand and brushed a kiss across her cheek. "Goodnight, my princess." he murmured.

She snuggled deeper into the covers and said sleepily, "Goodnight, Talon."

**A/N **Uh oh. What's Talon got planned for our newly discovered princess? Doesn't sound good, does it? And how is Jess going to feel when she discovers that she's actually the princess she thought she was protecting? Ah suspense, I love it. Keep me smiling and inspired guys, click that button below and tell me what you think. Later!

Sere-chan


	18. A Princess's Revelations

**A/N** Okay I know it's a miracle, two updates in one week. Well to be honest I wasn't planning on posting this chapter so soon, but it came to my attention that today is a special day for the person who left the very first review for this story. Happy Birthday Silver!!! This one's for you. I hope it lives up to everyone's expectations. I got really jacked up on caffeine and tried to put a rush on this, so the editing may not be as great as it normally is. I don't want my other reviewers to think that I'm leaving them out of the loop, so here are my hugs to everyone who reviewed chapter 17:

**snoopykid**

**xo Usako ox**

**usagigirl11**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**ange de l'aube**

**Serandi82**

**CharmedSerenity3**

**JpJr**

**amaramichelle**

**JmacKarla**

**SailorMercuryROCKS**

**madorno81**

You guys rule as always. Anyhow, on with the story.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 18

A Princess's Revelations

The air hung thick and heavy in the underground lair. The only sounds were the moisture trickling down the stone walls and the distant howls of the youmas.

Talon sighed as he slumped in his chair. He was trying to sort through the conflicting emotions that were running rampant through his head. He admitted that he had developed an obsession of sorts for Sailor Shadow. Since the moment she had come blasting her way into the middle of his operation, she had intrigued him.

The immense need to take her and make her his had burned itself into his very soul. He had thought that he had found his perfect queen. Together they would find the princess and her crystal, and then there would be nothing or nobody that could stop them.

But as the girl had lain beneath his hand earlier this evening and he had taken a deep look into her mind, he had received a tremendous shock. She wasn't the princess's protector, but the princess herself. She was right in front of him the entire time. No longer a child, she was now a strong beautiful woman.

Now he was more determined to claim her as his own. She was everything that he could wish in a woman who would stand at his side. It wasn't just the power she could command, but her strength and spirit that called out to him.

Several things had occurred as he had been linked to her mind. He had sensed the barriers that were blocking her from embracing her true self and had done his best to dispose of those.

He also had sensed that she wasn't in possession of her full crystal. He figured that bitch of a moon queen was responsible for that. That was okay though. Once she was with him, they would find it together. In the meantime, she had enough power to be an important ally.

He had also felt her deepest emotions. While she felt love and happiness along with the other useless human emotions, buried deep inside her was anger, pain, and rage. Those would be what he would play upon to win her. The mind numbing oblivion he could give her would surely sway her.

He conjured an image of her just as he had left her a while ago when he had given in to his impulses and had visited her in her bedroom. Flushed with sleep and her long silky hair draped across the pillow, the vision made him catch his breath.

He hadn't realized that he left a piece of dark energy inside of her until she had opened her eyes and spoken to him, but that was to his advantage. Now it would be easy to win her over to his side.

It was providential really. He had thought that he was after two different people. Finding out they were one and the same made his ultimate goal finally seem within reach.

A cloud of darkness appeared behind him and a deep voice spoke. "I fear you may let your obsession for this girl interfere with our mission. I sense that she is stirring up conflict in you. That could jeopardize things greatly."

"Mind your own business." Talon snapped. "I know what I'm doing. You told me that she would be the key, and so she is. The second prophecy said that the one born from the shadows would hold the power to unlock the crystal. I just naturally assumed that the two prophecies spoke of two different people."

"Yes" the formless voice replied. "I admit that I am surprised at the turn of events, but it could be advantageous. Just don't let your feelings for the girl cloud your judgment. She must be brought to us in any way possible. If she will not cooperate, then we will take her power and dispose of her."

Talon struggled to not grimace at that thought. He didn't want to think of seeing the light of life fading from her eyes, but he knew that if she didn't come to his side, her life would be forfeit and he would claim her crystal for himself. He would much rather have her beside him, and she would be able to use the crystal to its fullest potential.

"Don't worry about the princess, I'll take care of her." Talon said. "The mission will go forward as planned. Now leave me."

The mist faded away, entertaining thoughts of how to rid them of the possibly troublesome princess, leaving Talon gazing like a love struck fool at the vision in front of him.

His face relaxed into what could actually be described as a tender expression as he reached out a hand to trace the image in front of him. "Soon, my princess. This world, and then the entire universe will bow to us. I will see you become what you should have been a thousand years ago."

* * *

It was a little after noon when Serena and Darien entered the arcade with a pouting Rini trudging along behind them. Lizzy was behind the counter and looked up with a smile as they took a seat on the stools.

"Hey guys." she greeted them brightly. "What can I get for you?"

"Coffee. Black." Darien muttered, propping his head up on one of his hands,

"One of my usuals." Serena groaned as her head dropped down to rest on her folded arms on the counter.

Rini shook her head at them. "I'll have a chocolate shake, extra whipped cream and sprinkles.

"Coming right up." Lizzy said, moving off to get their orders.

Rini surveyed her future parents with a critical eye. "What's with you guys today? You're acting like the walking dead. We all went to bed at the same time last night, and you both slept in later than I did, so I know you're not sleep deprived."

Serena raised her head and glared at her. "Keep it up, kid. I'm not above taking you to the house and leaving you with mom. I'm sure she's got something to keep you busy."

Rini fell suddenly quiet. As much as she adored her 'Aunt Ilene', the woman could be quite a taskmaster. While Rini wasn't a slob, she didn't see the need to clean something that wasn't dirty.

A chuckle behind them had them turning around too find Kunzite and Mina watching the trio with humorous expressions.

"What are you doing here?" Serena asked them.

"We're meeting the others here and going to the botanic gardens for the day." Mina told them. "It's such a nice day out that for once I didn't want to waste it being inside the mall."

"Thank goodness for that. It gives my credit card a rest." Kunzite grumbled next to her, earning a glare and a smack on the arm from Mina.

"Anyway" Mina said. "We tried to call you guys and see if you wanted to come with us, but you weren't answering your phones."

"Yeah, we kind of slept in today." Darien said, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and seeing that it was still turned off.

Serena nodded. "We had kind of a rough night."

"Ohhh" Mina drawled. "Too much on your mind? Or was it something else?" she asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"Honestly, Mina. Is that all you ever think about?" Serena asked in exasperation.

Mina flashed her trademark V sign. "Hey, goddess of love, remember? I can see it a mile away. And you two look a couple that had a very pleasant evening."

"Ewww" Rini screeched, clapping her hands over her ears. "I so don't want to hear any more. That has got to be the most disturbing thing I've ever heard. Could you at least try to remember who I am? This is putting mental images in my head that I could totally do without."

Just then, Lizzy came over and sat their drinks down in front of them. Rini grabbed up her shake and stomped off toward some of the video games, casting a disgusted look back over her shoulder at them.

"Smooth move, sweetheart." Kunzite muttered, and Mina shrugged.

"She's not a baby anymore." Mina defended herself. "I'm sure she knows about the birds and the bees by now."

"Yeah" he retorted. "But do you want to picture your parents having sex?"

Mina's face fell and she looked slightly nauseous. "I guess you have a point."

Serena sputtered a bit as she almost choked from trying to laugh and chug down the chocolate laden espresso in her cup. Kunzite was one of the few people that could ever bring Mina crashing back down to earth, and those moments were always priceless. She wished she had a camera to take a picture of Mina's face. It would have been good for some laughs with the other girls later.

"So, are you guys in, or what?" Mina asked.

"I don't know. "Serena replied. "I was going to go by and check on Jess. She still seemed pretty out of it when we left her last night."

Mina was looking out the glass doors toward the street. "Well she doesn't look out of it now. In fact she looks positively radiant."

That comment had everyone turning toward the doors as they slid open. Sure enough, there was Jess, clinging tightly to Andrew's hand as they entered the arcade. They both had big smiles on their faces.

"See, what did I tell you?" Andrew said, gesturing around the arcade. "Everything's good as new."

Jess laughed happily. "So I see. But it still could use some improvements."

"Ugh" he groaned. "I thought we already talked about that. This is a game arcade, not an art museum."

"But Drew" she pouted, turning puppy dog eyes on him. "I wouldn't do anything fancy. I just think we need a little more color in here. You'd be surprised the difference it could make. It might even be good for business."

"Don't you dare try to blackmail me." Andrew exclaimed. "Our business is fine the way it is. But if it makes you happy, I'll think about it."

Jess gave a triumphant grin. "I'm going to hold you to that, you know. I think you'll start to see it my way in time."

"A thousand years later, and she still has him wrapped around her little finger." Mina whispered.

Kunzite shivered. "Yeah, it's scary how controlling you women can be sometimes."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Serena and Mina exclaimed at the same time, causing the couple by the door to look up and notice them.

They made their way over to the small group and Jess hopped up on the counter next to Serena, making Andrew groan. "There are stools here to sit on you know."

She stuck her tongue out at him and then gave him one of her blinding smiles. "Sweetie, I'm thirsty. Could you get me something to drink, pretty please?"

"Yeah, sure." Andrew said. "Cherry coke?"

"You know it." she said with a wink that made Andrew blush lightly as he made his way to the end of the counter so he could go behind it.

Mina let out a low whistle. "You go girl."

Jess giggled. "I just can't make it as good as he does, heaven knows I've tried. I think he has some kind of a trade secret that he doesn't want to let me in on."

"Drew is a master behind that counter." Serena agreed. "That's what has kept me coming back all these years."

"That and my winning personality." Andrew said teasingly as he sat a tall glass next to Jess.

She picked it up and took a long sip. "One day you have got to tell me your secret to this."

"No way" he said with a shake of his head. "Then you'll take my recipe and run off to work somewhere else."

"Nah" Jess responded, ruffling his hair playfully. "I think I'll stick around for a while."

"So what are you two up to today?" Serena asked curiously.

Jess indicated her backpack that seemed to follow her everywhere that was sitting on the stool next to her. "I'm going hunting. I've got a project in my art class to do a landscape painting. I could probably just turn in one of my old ones and get away with it, but I feel like doing a new one. Andrew offered to help me scout out a place."

"Were going out to the botanic gardens if you two want to tag along." Serena told them. "It's got some really beautiful sights."

Jess turned to Andrew, her face alive with excitement. "Can we?"

Andrew shrugged. "Sure, if you want to."

Jess squealed and threw her arms around him. "Great! I hope I remembered to put fresh batteries in my camera."

* * *

Serena sighed as she leaned against Darien and he wrapped an arm around her. She had always enjoyed coming to visit the gardens, and this was the first time they had come since Darien had returned from college.

"Having fun?" Darien leaned down to whisper in her ear.

Serena nodded her head. "Um hm. It's a beautiful day. The weather couldn't be more perfect for this."

They were seated under a tree near the pond in the outdoor area of the botanic gardens. Lita and Nephrite had left to retrieve the picnic lunch Lita had made for all of them from their car, and everyone else was scattered about enjoying the sights. Joining them in the shade was Andrew, who was stretched out, seeming to nap, and Rini and Jess. Rini was busy quizzing Jess on the process of producing a painting.

"So why do you draw it and photograph it?" Rini asked curiously.

"Well" Jess responded, "Since I won't be doing the actual painting here, I do a rough sketch to get everything in the position I want it so I know where to place them in the painting later. The photos are just for me to reference back to later for color and shading."

Rini shook her head. "Sounds like a lot of work to me."

Jess laughed. "It is a lot of work, but I find it enjoyable. It almost borderlines on an obsession. When I was younger, my mom used to get so mad when she would catch me up in the middle of the night, especially on school nights. But when an idea pops into my head, I feel like I have to get it down on paper right away or I might forget it."

Rini picked up a large sketchbook that was lying next to them and began flipping through it. "These are really good. You're very talented. Oh wow…you did this one in color."

She jumped up and crossed over to Serena and Darien. "Look at this you guys. Isn't it amazing?"

It was a beautiful picture of the sunset over the ocean. The sun was just beginning to sink beyond the horizon and the water was calm. Even though it was done in color pencil, you could almost hear the waves lapping gently against the shore and feel the heat from the dying rays of the sun.

"Beautiful" Serena breathed. Beside her, Darien nodded his agreement.

Jess took the book back and looked down at it with a sad smile. "This one has special meaning to me. I drew this the day after my parents died. I was going crazy with everyone hovering over me, so I snuck out and took off running. I didn't have a destination in mind, I was just wanting to find something that was still beautiful in the world. I ended up in this secluded cove where we used to go swimming, and the view just struck me."

Serena studied the girl's face with compassion. "You still miss them a lot, don't you?" she asked quietly.

Jess gave a little smile. "Yeah, but it's gotten easier with time. They were loving, crazy, obnoxious, and overbearing all at the same time. But I couldn't imagine what my life would have been like without them."

A few tears began to sparkle in her deep blue eyes, but she wiped them away with a smile. "It doesn't matter, they're always with me. Sometimes I can almost hear them speaking to me, especially when I'm screwing up. I better get to work now."

She turned and walked back to where her backpack was and retrieved her camera and a pencil case before walking down to the edge of the water and finding a spot to sit. She flipped open the book to a fresh page and began drawing, looking up every so often to gaze across the pond at the fountain in the center and the riotous display of flowers that lined the opposite shore.

Rini eventually wandered off and left Serena and Darien studying the girl that had been their daughter so long ago. Even though she was no longer a child, certain little mannerisms remained the same. The way her forehead crinkled in concentration and the way the tip of her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth was reminiscent of the small princess from a thousand years ago.

Darien chuckled when a butterfly flew past her and she suddenly turned her sights on it. Flipping to a new page, she began drawing furiously. "Some things never change." he murmured to Serena. "Something as small as a butterfly still seems wondrous to her."

Serena agreed. "She's lived longer and experienced more that has hardened her up some, but she still seems like such an innocent at times."

Darien nodded. "She reminds me of you and Rini. Innocent girls out to save the world."

"I couldn't have done half of what I have without you." Serena replied, leaning forward to touch her lips gently to his,

"All right, break it up." a voice growled, making them jump slightly apart. Lita and Nephrite walked up carrying several bags of food. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving." Lita told them.

"Have I ever turned down your cooking before?" Serena teased with a grin.

"Sure you have, but only for mine." a sleepy voice came where Andrew was lying. He opened his eyes and grinned at Lita. "No offense, but I make a better burger than you do."

"Let's get everyone over here and dig in." Serena said, enthusiastically waving to everybody else that lunch had arrived.

Soon everyone except Jess was congregated around the impressive spread that Lita had made. The dark blonde girl didn't even seem to notice the others. Her pencil was still and she stared sightlessly over the water.

She was very confused. She had been getting fuzzy images in her head on and off all day since she woke up this morning. None of them had made any sense, but several she had experienced since arriving at the gardens had been clearer. She focused on the two that had stuck in her mind the most.

_She was just a little girl, running through a large garden near a fountain. A woman was laughing and chasing her. She couldn't see the woman's face, only the long blonde hair that rippled behind her. _

_She slipped behind a hedge, giggling. "I bet you can't find me, momma."_

_There was a rustling of leaves behind her, and then a voice said, "Are you sure about that?"_

_She squealed and ran out from her hiding place, the woman right behind her. She was caught up in her arms and spun around. Shrieking in laughter, she looked up into the shadowy face. For a moment, it cleared up enough for her to see sky blue eyes, sparkling with humor looking at her._

Jess shook her head a little at that thought. That couldn't be real. Her mother had had light brown hair and soft green eyes. And she was pretty sure she had never been in that garden before.

The next vision that she had had occurred when that butterfly had come to light beside her. She had remembered that same garden again, but this time she was with someone different.

_She was standing with her arm outstretched. Sitting on her palm was a beautiful butterfly. It opened and closed its wings gently. It sat there until a soft breeze ruffled it and it flew away._

_Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned and saw a tall, dark figure of a man. His hair was as black as the clothes he was wearing, and his face was also shadowed._

"_Did you see that, daddy? It came right up to me. I think butterflies are the best animals in the whole world." she said excitedly._

_He just gave a chuckle and picked her up. She could see his eyes, as deep a midnight blue as her own peering at her through the fog that was obscuring the rest of his features._

Jess blinked her eyes, wondering what this all meant. While her father had been as tall as the man in her vision, he had been fair haired and his eyes a deep chocolate brown.

"Maybe my nightmares are starting to get to me." she whispered to herself. "That's got to be it. My whacked out dreams and sleep deprivation are finally catching up and making me crazy."

A hand landed on her shoulder, making her jump. She looked up into Andrew's clear hazel eyes and felt her heart beat a little faster.

"Hey" he said softly. "You looked like you were a million miles away. Lunch is ready, if you don't hurry, there won't be anything left."

"I'm not hungry." she muttered. At that moment, her stomach decided to betray her by growling loudly

"Sure you aren't." Andrew smirked. He leaned over and grabbed her sketchbook and held it up high.

"Hey" she exclaimed. "Give it back."

"You want it? Come and get it." Andrew said with a laugh, taking off at a run across the grass.

Jess jumped to her feet. "You want a race, you got it." she hollered at his retreating form and quickly running after him.

The group of people sitting under the tree looked up in amazement as the couple approached them at a dead run. Andrew circled the tree with Jess right on his tail. They paused, one on each side of the group.

"I said give it back, Drew." Jess tried to say angrily, but she couldn't hide the laughter in her voice or the slight smile that was threatening to turn up the corners of her mouth.

"Nope, you've got to catch me first." Andrew said, holding tightly to the book he was holding for ransom.

Her eyes flared at the challenge. "Fine, have it your way." she said in a low voice.

Before anyone could blink, she had taken two running steps and vaulted over everyone's heads. She landed next to an open mouthed Andrew and tackled him to the ground. They rolled a couple of times and stopped with her on top of him. They were both laughing as she snatched her book away from him.

"Don't you know it's dangerous to mess with an artist's work?" she asked from where she was splayed against his chest.

He flipped her suddenly, reversing their positions. "Hey, you needed to eat. This got you to the food, didn't it?"

She giggled. "I guess it did, but…" her voice trailed off suddenly and her eyes went hazy and out of focus.

"Jess" Andrew exclaimed in alarm, pulling back abruptly. The others quickly tuned in that something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" Serena asked anxiously.

Amy slid out her computer and did a quick scan. "He brain waves suggest she's experiencing a memory."

They all watched her closely, not knowing what she might be remembering or how she would react. She stared blankly off into space for about another half minute before turning her face to Andrew and whispering, "Toki."

Her eyes closed for a moment, and when she opened them again, they were back to normal. She put a hand to her forehead. "Whoa, I felt dizzy there for a second. I must be hungrier than I thought."

Andrew helped her to sit up. He took a deep breath to compose himself and pasted a smile on his face. "I told you that you needed to eat, but no one ever listens to me. Or maybe you just reacted to my natural good looks and charm."

She snorted. "Yeah, that must be it. Now help me up so I can get some of what ever that is that smells so good. I'm starved."

He helped her gently to her feet and she walked over and sat down next to Serena and began digging in to the food with a ravenous appetite.

"I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to go find a bathroom." Andrew said and started making his way toward the main building of the gardens. When he was out of sight, he stopped and slumped against a tree, closing his eyes.

A few minutes later, he felt a presence near him and smiled. "I should have known you'd follow me." he said, opening his eyes to look at his best friend.

"You all right?" Darien asked. "You seemed a little shaken up when you walked off."

"Yeah, I'm okay." Andrew told him. "I just needed to get away and think for a minute. I knew she was going to start remembering things, but when she called me Toki, it just blew my mind. She was the only person besides my mother to ever call me that."

"It's a sign, she's starting to come back to us." Darien replied. "I just hope she can handle it."

"She'll be fine." Andrew said. "She's not a kid anymore. She's a strong woman. I think she can handle anything life throws at her."

His and Darien's heads suddenly jerked back toward the way they came.

"Did you hear that?" Andrew asked.

"What did you hear?" Darien asked him, puzzled.

Andrew looked at him. "I just heard Jess call my name just like she was standing right next to me."

Darien shook his head. "I heard Serena call mine. Jess must be unconsciously calling you through your link. I wonder what's wrong."

They took off running back to where they left the others. It wasn't long before they heard crashing and screaming. A group of people ran by them in the opposite direction yelling, "Youma."

"Oh, this is so not a good time for this." Darien muttered.

They reached the picnic site to find it abandoned.

"Guys, over here." Serena's voice called from behind a large stand of bushes.

They ducked behind to find everyone back there. "What's the situation?" Darien asked.

"Five youma appeared on the opposite bank. They're making their way around the pond as we speak." Amy said, typing quickly on her computer. "They seem to be pretty strong, but not the strongest we've faced."

"We were just about to transform when you showed up." Serena added.

Jess puffed out a frustrated breath. "Well what are we doing just standing here? Let's go out there and kick some ass."

Serena turned to level a steady gaze on the girl. "I want you to stay back."

"What! No way!" Jess exclaimed. "Okay, so I got hit last night, but I took out five of those suckers by myself. This is my fight too."

"Please" Serena pleaded. "Just stay hidden unless we need you. There's no sense showing our hand too early. If things get out of hand, then you can intervene."

Jess looked torn. "I don't know. I told myself that I wasn't going to hide anymore."

Darien knew that Serena was just trying to look out for Jess's mental state right now and told her. "We're not asking you to hide. Think of yourself as our secret weapon. If things get dicey, then you can ambush them without them seeing you coming."

"Fine" Jess huffed. "I don't like it, but I'll do it. The moment I see anyone in trouble though, I'm coming in."

"Fair enough." Darien agreed with a nod of his head.

"Everyone, transform." Serena ordered, pulling out her transformation broach and calling out, "Moon Eternal Power."

Within seconds, they had all transformed and ran out from behind the bushes, leaving Jess and Andrew behind to watch the battle.

They didn't get far when the youma came into view. These creatures were reptilian looking and were a sickly shade of green. Their glowing red eyes fixed on them and they took defensive stances.

The scouts and generals formed a circle around Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask as the youma spread out to surround them. The two in the center began to glow silver and gold as they powered up in preparation of getting a clean shot.

The youma came at them hard and fast, striking quickly in attempts to break the ranks. The scouts launched counter attacks in hopes of incapacitating the creatures long enough for Sailor Moon or Tuxedo Mask to be able to take them out, but they moved too quickly.

Damn it" Mars growled after her third miss with her flame sniper attack. "Would it be too much to ask for them to slow down a little?"

"Tell me about it." Jupiter agreed. "Oak Evolution…shit…I almost had it."

"Would you two quit bitching and concentrate." Venus screamed at them. "Mercury, got anything yet?"

Sailor Mercury ducked as one of the youma struck out at her with a long tentacle looking arm. "Aqua Rhapsody…From what I can tell, if we can hit those dark jewels on their foreheads, that should take care of them."

"Great" Zoicite muttered next to her. "We'll just ask them to stand still for a moment so we can do that."

Sailor Moon studied one of closest youma, and saw that it did indeed have a tiny black jewel embedded in its forehead. "That's weird, I don't remember any of the other youma we've fought having that."

The youma suddenly began spinning very quickly. In just seconds, they had burrowed under the ground.

"What just happened?" Jadeite asked, voicing the question that everyone else was thinking.

At that moment, the ground around them buckled as long green tentacles shot out from the ground, capturing all of them in a tight grip. Their struggles soon died as they felt the energy beginning to leave their bodies.

"Oh man, they're energy suckers." Tuxedo Mask exclaimed.

"Very astute, Endymion." Talon's voice replied as he materialized in front of them. "These are one of my earlier models in fact. I based them off of Beryl's design, but made a few modifications. I have no need to gather energy myself, but I see that particular ability does have its advantages against the enemy."

He gave them all a superior smirk as he watched all of them beginning to sag in the clutches of the youma. The energy drain was starting to take its toll on them. "So where is she? I know she's nearby." He looked around in anticipation.

"She's not here." Sailor Moon ground out between clenched teeth.

Talon threw back hid head and laughed. "You're not a very convincing liar, Serenity. It doesn't matter, I can feel her presence. I have to say, I'm surprised that you didn't lock her in her room after last night."

"Now why would anyone want to lock me in my room?" Sailor Shadow said, walking into view. "Last night went pretty well I think. Taking out those youma made my night."

Talon turned and arched an eyebrow at Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. "So she doesn't know? Hmmm, interesting. I assume I have your mommy dearest to thank for that. That moon bitch never did know how to keep her nose out of other people's business."

"Wow, you really are one whacked out guy." Shadow said snidely. "Now let my friends go before I blast your ass back into history where you belong."

"Now why would I want to surrender my bargaining chips?" Talon asked innocently. "As long as I have them, I have you exactly where I want you."

"We'll see about that." Shadow muttered. Kneeling down, she placed her hands on the ground. They glowed blue brightly for a moment before releasing a wave of energy into the earth.

Sighs of relief were heard as the tentacles wrapped around the scouts and generals crumbled to dust. They all fell to the ground where they sat weakly. Luckily, with the youma destroyed their energy was slowly returning to them.

Sailor Shadow climbed to her feet, a little unsteady, but not overly drained from the energy she had used.

Talon looked her over appraisingly. "Very impressive, but I've learned to expect nothing less from you."

Shadow stared him down, her gaze unwavering. "Listen asshole, you have no idea what I'm capable of. I'm ready to end this whenever you are." She began to glow with a blue light. "I say it's go time, so let's rumble."

Talon merely chuckled and waved a hand in her direction. The others watched in disbelief as the glow around Sailor Shadow disappeared. She swayed a little and her eyes closed, opening a moment later to reveal a blank stare.

"Now, you don't really want to do that, do you?" Talon asked in a low voice.

Black suddenly bled into her eyes, erasing the blue and leaving them bottomless dark pools.

Her head shook slowly. "No" she whispered in a flat voice.

A triumphant grin appeared on Talon's face. "Now I've got you, princess."

"No" Sailor Moon gasped, struggling to her feet. "I can't let him take her, not again."

Bolstered by what energy had returned to them, the others also began picking themselves off the ground.

"We've got to stop him." Tuxedo Mask said.

A cloud of dark power emanated from Talon, making its way quickly toward Sailor Shadow, anxious to ensnare her in its grip.

Everyone began powering up, hoping that they could attack him before he managed to cast whatever spell he was attempting to cast on the unsuspecting girl.

A figure suddenly darted out from the surrounding trees. Moving fast, it knocked Sailor Shadow out of the way of the encroaching magic. They both went rolling until they stopped several feet away.

Then the sound of an attack being called out came from the nearby bushes and an orb of fuchsia colored energy sped toward the sorcerer.

* * *

Andrew and Jess watched from their spot behind the bushes as the scouts and generals tried their best to fight against the youma. Neither side seemed to be gaining the upper hand and it was looking like this could be a long battle.

"I hate this." Jess gritted out from between clenched teeth. "I should be out there with them." Her hands were balled up into fists and she was practically shaking in outrage of being left behind.

Andrew laid a hand on her shoulder. "Just chill for a minute. I've seen them in tough situations before, and they always seem to pull through somehow."

They continued watching in strained silence until the youma disappeared underground. When the long green tentacles shot from the ground to wrap tightly around everyone, Jess exclaimed, "That's it. I'm going in."

She shook off Andrew's restraining hand, running toward the battle scene. In midstride she glowed bright blue as she transformed.

Andrew gasped as a strange feeling enveloped him. He felt a tingling sensation that shot through every nerve ending in his body. His vision darkened and he reached up, surprised to find a pair of sunglasses resting on the bridge of his nose. Looking down, he realized that his clothing had changed as well. He was now dressed all in black, complete with a long black leather duster.

"What the hell?" he muttered.

"It's the destiny you accepted." a voice spoke from the other side of the hedge. Sailor Pluto appeared a moment later. "You agreed to become the princess's protector, so now you will be able to transform to fulfill your duty."

Andrew was in shock. "You mean like how Darien transforms into Tuxedo Mask to protect Serena?" he whispered.

Pluto nodded. "Exactly."

He shook his head. "But I don't have any powers the way the others do."

Pluto just smiled at him. "You are capable of more than you know. Not many people knew this, but your past mother was the sailor scout of the sun, Sailor Solara. The sun and the moon didn't get along well. When one of their princes married the queen of the moon, taking your father and mother with him, they forced her to relinquish her scout duties to another. She retained her crystal however, and you were blessed as a crystal carrier at your birth."

"I'm a crystal carrier?" he asked in bewilderment. This was definitely not something he was expecting.

"Yes" Sailor Pluto replied. "When you agreed to become Sailor Shadow's champion, and Queen Serenity woke your memories, your powers were awakened as well. Now you have what you need to keep her safe."

Andrew thought about what she was saying. He could feel something inside of him. It was like a humming in his blood. He wasn't exactly sure what to do with it yet, but he would learn quickly if it helped him protect Jess.

"What do I do?" he asked the time guardian.

"It will take some time and practice to learn everything, but for now I say just go with your instincts." she told him wisely.

Andrew turned back to the fight. Sailor Shadow had just succeeded in destroying the youma that were holding the others hostage. She turned to face Talon, glowing with power as she took a fighting stance.

Talon waved a careless hand at her and she went still. When Andrew saw the dark energy that was headed in her direction, he acted on Pluto's advice and went with his instincts, dashing quickly toward Shadow, and knocking her out of the way. They rolled several times and ended with him on top.

She gazed up at him with jet black eyes for a moment before the darkness faded back to her usual sapphire blue. She raised one trembling hand to his cheek while the other moved to remove the sunglasses covering his eyes.

At the sight of his familiar hazel gaze, she sucked in a deep breath. "Drew" she sighed.

He grinned down at her. "The one and only. Looks like I'm in this fight now too."

"But how?" she whispered.

"I'll explain later." he told her. "Let's concentrate on getting out of this for now."

"Dead Scream" was heard coming from the nearby hedges, and an attack burst through, heading for Talon.

He dodged it easily and turned his attention in the direction it had come. He smirked as Sailor Pluto stepped out a moment later. "Well, well, Sailor Pluto. I'm surprised to see you here I must say. Who's watching the time gates while you are gone."

She swung her staff around and pointed it at him. "It's my job to protect the timeline, and that's what I'm here to do. I'm ensuring that things go as they are supposed to go to protect the future."

Talon laughed darkly. "I don't know what fairy tale future you're trying to protect, but I am here to claim mine. The girl belongs with me and our future lies together."

"Oh I don't think so." Sailor Shadow said, climbing back to her feet. "I wouldn't go anywhere with you, even if you were the last man on earth."

Talon turned his cold black gaze back to her, making her shiver. Andrew stepped protectively in front of her, placing himself between her and the threat.

The sorcerer studied them both for a moment before smiling widely. "I'm experiencing a sense of déjà vu here. Yes, the three of us have been in this situation before. I would have thought you would have learned your lesson the first time boy. Now move aside."

"What the hell is that psycho rambling about now?" Shadow asked from her place behind Andrew.

"You are a bit of a loose cannon, Sailor Shadow." Talon said in mock sympathy. "I don't blame you for not remembering the horrible deeds of your past. Murder is a hard burden to bear."

"Stop it!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Leave her alone."

Talon gave her an inquisitive look. "Why Serenity, one would think that you don't want her to embrace her destiny. Maybe you and Endymion want to lock her away like a dirty little secret, just like you did a thousand years ago. I just want to set her free."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Tuxedo Mask growled at him. "We never locked her away. Everything we ever did was for her safety, to keep her away from power hungry vultures like you."

Sailor Shadow stood quietly. Not hearing any of the conversation that was going on around her. Her head was suddenly filled with hundreds of fuzzy images. None of them made any sense. She would catch a glimpse of a face, hear the sound of faint laughter.

Then a vague feeling of warmth and security washed over her. The hazy man and woman from her earlier visions suddenly filled her mind, the fog around them lifted and she could see them clearly.

The woman was slender and had long blonde hair pulled up into two buns on top of head, leaving the rest to trail behind her. Clear cerulean blue eyes looked at her with warmth and love. _"Sweetheart" _the woman's voice whispered in her mind.

The man was tall and exuded an air of authority. His hair as dark as the midnight sky and eyes that sparkled like twin sapphires. He had a wide grin on his face as he held his arms out to her. _"Hey munchkin" _his deep voice filtered through her head.

A feeling of fear and anxiety flooded her and she saw visions of blood and death. Dead bodies staring with sightless eyes were strewn around. In her mind she whimpered, _"Momma, daddy, where are you?"_

Then one memory hit her crystal clear. She was standing in a grand hall, talking to a boy. A deep feeling of love and friendship settled over her as she grabbed his hand. _"Right. We're best friends forever."_

Things moved quickly after that. The sinister laughter, the dark robed figure, a blast of dark energy heading right for them, a burst of blue light, and then the heartbreaking grief.

She knelt next to the still figure of the boy lying on the ground. Taking him by the shoulders, she shook him frantically as she cried, _"Toki? Toki, wake up! This isn't funny. Please wake up!"_

The dark figure came up behind her and whispered. _"What a shame. You said that he was your best friend, and yet he is dead because of you and your power. You thought you were protecting him from me, but succeeded in killing him yourself."_

She came crashing back to the present, her mind swirling with everything that she had just seen, Glancing around wildly, she realized that she knew everyone there, with the exception of Sailor Crescent Moon, from another place and time.

Her gaze lingered on Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. The two of them seemed so frighteningly familiar. She knew that they were the reincarnations of Serenity and Endymion, so it was pretty obvious that they were the ones from her visions. But why would she be calling them momma and daddy?

She looked at the person in front of her. His sandy blonde hair was glinting in the sunlight. He turned to give her a reassuring look and grin over his shoulder and her breath froze in her chest. A picture of the boy from her thoughts suddenly seemed to place itself over his features. Memories of days of playing and laughter filled her head. The sight of his lifeless body burned itself into her brain.

"No" she whispered, falling to her knees. "I didn't do it. I couldn't have. He was my best friend."

Andrew quickly came down in front of her and took her hands in his. "Jess, honey, look at me. It's okay. Don't let him fool you. That's exactly what he wants."

Talon cackled gleefully. "You do remember, don't you? You remember what you did. All the pain and suffering you caused. I promised you oblivion before, and the offer still stands. All you have to do is join me, and I'll make it all go away."

She jerked away from Andrew and climbed to her feet, her eyes wide and panicked. She stared at Talon fearfully as she began backing away. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but stay the hell away from me." she said in a trembling voice.

Talon eyed her thoughtfully. "I'm not doing anything. You're doing it yourself. Your true self is fighting to come out. Don't try to fight it. Instead, embrace it. You were meant for great things."

She shook her head violently, denying what her brain was trying to tell her about her past. This was some kind of a trick. What she was seeing couldn't possibly be true. If it was, then that would mean that she was…

The thought slammed into her with the impact of a speeding truck. She crumpled to the ground as it trembled and shook beneath her in reaction to the revelation. "Nooo!" she screamed as the sky darkened. Thunder roared and lightning split the sky.

"Don't deny the truth princess." Talon told her. "You know who you are. The time has come for the prophecy to be fulfilled."

Her head jerked up and her tiara vanished. The crescent moon and rose symbol began burning brightly on her forehead. Rising to her feet, she held a hand out in front of her and shot a blast of blue energy at Talon.

He disappeared before contact could be made, but his voice lingered. "The awakening has begun. Soon princess, you will be mine."

The symbol faded from her forehead and then her transformation vanished as well, leaving her standing in the shorts and tank top she had been wearing earlier. The lightning stopped and the thunder faded into the distance. She spun and looked at the others in wide-eyed panic and began backing away.

"It can't be true." she whispered. "I can't be her. I just can't."

Sailor Moon took a step toward her. "Jess, sweetie, it's okay."

She shook her head violently. "Leave me alone!" she screamed. Turning quickly, she took off running through the trees.

"Damn it." Andrew muttered, preparing to take off after her. He had only gone a few steps when a voice stopped him.

"You might as well let her go." Aurora said, appearing before them. "You'll never catch her. She runs like a cheetah."

"So we're just supposed to let her go off on her own?" Tuxedo Mask asked in disbelief.

A sad smile appeared on the priestess's face. "This is her way of dealing with things. When she's upset she'll go find a quiet place to think things over. I don't think she's in any immediate danger, and the fact that the planet is still in one piece means that she is handling it better than we think. She'll be back when she's worked things out."

"If you think that's best." Sailor Moon said, losing her transformation. The others followed as well.

Andrew realized that he had changed back to his regular clothes at some point without even noticing. Staring off in the direction Jess had taken, he jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned and met the grinning face of his best friend.

"I guess I should say welcome to the club," Darien said, "but you've actually already been in it for years."

Serena gave him a bright smile. "Yeah, but this makes it official."

Andrew let out a harsh laugh. "Yeah, first day on the job and I've already lost track of her. Some guardian I am."

"Hey, you heard Aurora, she'll be back." Serena said softly. "I say we go back to the arcade and wait. I bet that will be the first place she comes looking when she's ready."

Andrew merely nodded his head and followed them through the gardens. _'Damn it, Jess. You better come back to me.' _he thought to himself.

A soft breeze ruffled the nearby flowers and it was like a caress on his skin. _'Don't worry, I'll be back soon.' _he heard her voice whisper through his head, and it brought a smile to his face.

**A/N **So there you have it. Chapter 18 is in the bag. I originally planned for 20 chapters and an epilogue, but it might go a little over that. And to those who have asked, yes there will be a sequel. It's already in the works, but I haven't found a name for it yet. For anyone thinking that Jess's reaction to the truth was kind of tame, never fear, there is more to this than meets the eye. I will say no more at the moment, I don't want to spoil it.


	19. Acceptance, Or Not?

**A/N **Okay everyone. I've got a really long chapter for you here. I actually got to the stopping point for this chapter, and then decided to ramble on for a few more pages. So love me for it or hate me for it, whichever you prefer. Time for hugs. Big Hugs to:

**xo Usako ox**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**ange de l'aube**

**Serandi82**

**small town minx**

**missmyrtlemay **

**CharmedSerenity3**

**SailorMercuryROCKS**

**amaramichelle**

**madorno81 **

**Suma Susaki**

**S dot Serenity**

**Swinkinator**

You guys must be the best fans in the history of fan fiction. I just want to say thank you to each of you for your continued support and words of encouragement. If not for you, this story would have died by chapter 3. Instead this story is growing by leaps and bounds. I thought 20 chapters and that would be it, but we've actually got a long way to go. And a sequel too, which I am hoping to give you guys a sneak peek into soon, but I can't do that too early or it will ruin the ending of this one.  Anyhow, on with the show.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 19

Acceptance, Or Not?

The sound of running footsteps echoed loudly on the wet pavement as the teenage girl ran through the streets of Tokyo. A soft but steady rain was falling, dampening her clothes and making her hair hang limply around her face. She was just glad there was no thunder or lightning.

She slowed as she reached her destination. Staring up at the tall Starlight Tower, she thought of the irony of the situation. She had heard the stories of how this was where Serenity and Endymion's identities had been revealed and the Silver Crystal had made its appearance. It seemed a fitting place to expose truths.

Going inside, she found the place practically deserted. Of course most people had enough sense not to venture out in this type of weather, but she was on a mission. Taking the elevator up to the top floor, she entered an indoor observation deck. Bypassing the view of the city that was visible through the large windows, she opened a door that revealed a set of stairs going up.

Climbing the stairway, she arrived on the outdoor viewing platform. At this altitude, the wind was fairly strong and chilly and the rain blew across in sheets of cold wetness. Stepping carefully across the slippery floor, she began searching for her target.

Not seeing what she looking for, she began to think that maybe she had made a mistake. But then a movement caught her vision out of the corner of her eye. Turning, she saw the figure of a young woman standing near the railing in a dark corner, gazing out over the city skyline.

Approaching her carefully, but not making an attempt to soften her footsteps, she didn't want to startle her after all, the girl walked up and stood next to the woman who turned surprised eyes on her.

"What are you doing here, Rini?" Jess asked.

Rini shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You've been gone for several hours, and I got tired of sitting around the arcade watching everyone's glum faces."

"Okay" Jess said. "But how did you know where to find me?"

Another shrug. "Intuition."

At the sight of the blonde eyebrow that arched up at that statement, she backpedaled quickly. "Let's just say I have a few secrets of my own. I can kind of relate to some of what you are feeling right now."

"What do you know about what I'm feeling?" Jess snapped.

Rini sighed. "More than you think. There're some things about me that you don't know. It's common knowledge to our little group, but to everyone else I have to pretend that I'm someone else. With everything that's been happening the last couple of days, I guess we haven't had a chance to fill you in."

This seemed to catch Jess's attention and she turned to fully face the younger girl. "Okay, you got me. Tell me what I'm missing out on."

Rini took a deep breath before replying. "I'm not Serena's cousin. I'm her daughter."

Jess jerked in surprise before giving her a look of disbelief. "Yeah right, that's a good one kid. There's only what, three years difference in your ages. Serena's only nineteen. I would call that highly improbable."

Rini just shook her head and muttered, "Geez, you really have always been stubborn. I guess the only way to prove it to you is to show you."

She stepped back a few paces and closed her eyes. Calling on the power of her crystal, she transformed into her princess form. The jeans and sweatshirt she was wearing faded away to reveal a long flowing white dress and a golden crescent moon glowed brightly on her forehead.

Jess stood in shock at the sight in front of her. She knew very well the symbol of the royal moon family, and the dress was the same as the one that the Princess Serenity in her memories often wore.

"But how can you be her daughter?" she finally asked in a whisper.

The glow faded and Rini returned to her civilian form. "It's simple really." she said with a grin. "I don't come from this time."

Jess still looked uncertain. "So you're a time traveler?"

Rini nodded. "In a way. I come from the future, a place called Crystal Tokyo. One day Serena and Darien will become Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion. They rule Crystal Tokyo. I am their daughter, Princess Serenity Serena Shields."

Jess sagged against the railing behind her before sliding down to sit on the wet ground. "Wow, that's freaky. So I guess coming from the future, you know a lot more than the rest of us do."

"Yeah" Rini agreed. "I'm not allowed to say much. Pluto would have a coronary if I messed up the timeline. But I will tell you that the memories you are seeing are real. You are Melody's reincarnation. It's not a joke or a trick. Grandma Serenity sent you here along with everyone else to have a second chance at life."

Jess gave her a small smile. "I had pretty much accepted that I was her, but it's nice to hear someone else confirm it. Makes me feel like at least some of my sanity is still intact."

Rini laughed. "I know what you mean. The first time I came here, I came to find Sailor Moon to get her to help me with a problem in the future. No one had ever bothered to tell me that my mother had been Sailor Moon or that my dad had been Tuxedo Mask. Talk about a reality check when I found out."

Jess laughed with her for a moment before turning serious again. "So in some twisted way, does this make us sisters?"

"Not exactly." Rini said with a shake of her head. "You aren't their daughter in this life and I am. There's no genetic link there. But half of your power comes from the moon, so we do share a bond because of that."

She took a moment to survey the blonde girl before saying softly. "You may not be my blood sister, but I will be proud to call you my friend. In time, I hope that maybe you can look at me as a little sister."

Jess looked up with a genuine smile and a few tears sparkled in her eyes. "I'd like that."

"So what do you say we go to the arcade and set everyone's mind at ease." Rini ventured to say. "Andrew is probably one of the most patient people I have ever met, but even he has his limits."

An uncertain look crossed Jess's face. "I don't know. Everything still feels so weird."

Rini pulled her up to her feet and wrapped an arm around her. "Hey, it'll be fine. Nothing's changed all that much. You're still you. And I'll be there with you."

Jess took a deep breath. "All right, let's do this."

Arm in arm, the two girls left the tower to go join their friends. Rini had a bright smile on her face as she thought. _'Okay sis, you told me to be there for you. I hope I'm doing a good job.'_

* * *

"Damn it" Andrew snapped as he slammed a hand down on the counter. "That's it. She's been gone for hours. It's dark and raining and she's out there trying to deal with all this crap all alone."

The arcade was closed for the night, so it was silent and empty except for the three people sitting on stools at the spotless counter. At his outburst, the other two occupants heads shot up.

"Drew" Serena sighed. "She just needs time. She's got a lot on her mind and I'm sure it's difficult to deal with. You should know that. Isn't it kind of hard having Motoki's memories bouncing around in your head?"

Andrew paused for a moment and then shook his head. "I've been so busy being worried about Jess that I really haven't taken the time to think about it. It is kind of overwhelming I guess. How do you two deal with it so easily?"

Darien let out a bark of laughter. "Easily! There's been nothing easy about any of this. Serena can tell you for a fact that I call and check in at least twice an hour when she and Rini aren't with me."

Serena nodded. "It's true. I still have nightmares about some of the events of the past. I wake up in the middle of the night feeling like I'm about to have a nervous breakdown. It is getting easier to bear though, and I imagine that as time goes on, it will continue to get easier. I will say that discovering that Jess is Melody's reincarnation makes me feel relieved. At least we know where she is now."

The two guys nodded their agreement and everything fell silent again. Andrew stared off into space, inwardly fuming. He really wanted to jump up right then and run out and find his wayward girlfriend. But he knew Serena and Darien were probably right. Even though she had only lived for five years in her past life, she still had a lot to take in.

Serena and Darien were just sitting there in the silence, but inside they were having a bit of a debate with each other while speaking through their link. They were wondering if they were making the right decision by not going out and trying to find Jess. It was dangerous for her to be out alone. Talon could strike at any time, and as they had seen for a brief moment earlier, he held some sway over her mind.

The doors slid open with a hiss, making all three of them turn expectantly. Rini was standing right inside the open door.

"Where have you been?" Serena screeched. "You took off out of here without a word earlier. You didn't answer your phone or your communicator. I assumed you went to the house. When I didn't get an answer there, I figured you must have gone somewhere with mom and dad."

Rini stared belligerently at her future mother. "I had an errand to run, okay?"

Darien growled. "No it's not okay. We specifically said that no one was to go out alone. We are to stay at least in pairs for the time being. We never know when another attack is going to happen."

"All right, all right." Rini grumbled. "I wasn't exactly alone the whole time anyway."

"Ohh" Serena drawled. "You and Helios have another hot date?"

Darien let out a groan next to her as Rini gasped in outrage. "That's none of your business, Serena. But no, I wasn't out on a date."

"Then where did you go?" Serena asked.

"She came to find me." a soft voice said as Jess stepped up behind Rini. "Don't be mad at her. Somehow she knew exactly where I would be, and she came and hunted me down."

Sighs of relief filled the room at the sight of her. Andrew was off his stool and by her side before anyone could blink. Wrapping her tightly in his arms, he lifted her from the ground and spun around a few times.

"Don't you ever take off on me like that again." he admonished her in a mock angry tone.

She looked up at him with eyes that seemed much older and wiser than they had been earlier that day. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just had to get away and think for a while. If I hadn't, I felt like I was going to explode."

Nearby, Serena was chastising Rini. "Why did you go after her? You heard what Aurora said. She said Jess would come back when she was ready. Of all the meddling…"

"Hey, lay off of her Serena." Jess said. "I'm glad she did. She showed up at the right moment and told me exactly what I needed to hear. By the way Rini, you never did tell me exactly how you knew where I would be."

Rini just smirked at her. "Evil Jedi mind tricks."

"Ha ha" Jess said mockingly. "Go ahead and yuck it up kid. I'll figure it out eventually. I don't care if you are a princess, you have to sleep sometime."

Serena looked shocked. "You told her?" she asked Rini.

Rini just shrugged. "Yeah, it's not some big top secret thing to our inside group. I just figured she should be informed of everything."

Jess gave a laugh. "Better you than me. I wouldn't want the job, that's for sure. I much rather spend time on my art. Speaking of which," she turned back to Andrew, "did anyone think to grab my stuff and my bag?"

Andrew chuckled. "I got it all. It's upstairs in my apartment. I knew you would probably skin me alive if I left behind your bag of tricks."

"You got that right buster." she said, nudging him in the ribs. Then realizing how cold the air in the arcade was against her already chilled and wet body, she shivered violently. Goose bumps broke out all over her skin.

Andrew wrapped an arm around her. "Come on. You're soaking wet and freezing. Let's get you upstairs. I'm sure I've got some sweats or something that will fit you."

"Leave it to a scatter brained artist to go running around in the rain dressed like it's a hot summer day." Rini joked.

Jess let out a low growl between chattering teeth. "Keep it up cotton candy head…"

Andrew led Jess up the stairs that led to his apartment. Darien and Serena went to follow, but realized Rini was standing in the same spot, not moving.

"Rini, is something wrong?" Serena asked.

"She called me cotton candy head." Rini muttered. Then a huge smile broke across her face. "She called me cotton candy head!" she exclaimed gleefully.

Darien and Serena looked at one another, completely puzzled.

"I'm assuming that's supposed to mean something." Darien ventured.

Rini nodded enthusiastically and opened her mouth to reply. Suddenly her eyes widened and she clamped a hand over her mouth. "Oops, don't tell Pluto I said anything. She'll be totally pissed."

She ran by them quickly and hurried up the stairs, leaving a very confused pair behind her.

Serena looked at Darien. "What was all that about?"

Darien just shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I think she was about to let it slip that she knows Jess in the future. That's the only thing I can think of."

Serena thought about that. "You're probably right." A smile lit up her face. "That gives me hope that things will turn out okay."

Darien put an arm around her. "Yes it does. But remember, the future isn't set in stone."

They headed up the stairs and entered Andrew's apartment in time to see him come from his bedroom with several pieces of clothing draped over one arm. With his free hand, he took Jess by the arm and ushered her toward the bathroom.

"Now you get in there and take a hot shower." he ordered. "I'll have some food ready when you get out."

She gave him a saucy grin and a mock salute. "Aye aye, captain." She giggled as he aimed a swat at her butt as she disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Well she seems to be in good spirits." Serena commented.

Andrew beamed. "She's strong. I knew she would be able to handle this."

If only they had been able to see beyond the closed door and the girl that was slumped up against it. Biting the knuckles of one hand, she tried desperately to muffle her sobs as tears streaked down her cheeks. The numbness that had enshrouded her mind for the last few hours suddenly melted away, paving the way for the pain to set in.

"Why does this have to be so hard?" she whispered to herself.

'_I can make it go away.'_ a voice filtered through her head. _'Just come to me, and I'll make it all disappear.'_

"I can't." she said softly. "I can't give in to you. It would mean destroying my friends, and I can't do that."

'_I'll give you time.' _the voice crooned. _'It won't be long before you're begging me for oblivion, sweet princess. And when you're ready, I'll be waiting.'_

"I won't do it. I won't." she gasped, sliding to the floor and pulling her knees up to bury her face in them. Scalding tears poured like rivers from her eyes and she sucked in deep breaths as silently as she could, trying to get control of herself. She felt a small tremor as the power inside her swelled, begging for release.

'_Easy princess, I wouldn't want you to start without me.' _A dark chuckle sounded in her mind before a calm feeling settled over her once more.

Suddenly feeling much better, she got up from the floor and walked over to the shower. She turned on the water to let it heat and began undressing. Just as she was about to step in, a knock sounded at the door.

"Jess, you okay." Serena's voice came through the wood.

She sighed. "I'm fine Serena. No need to go all overprotective. I'm not a china doll you know." she replied in a teasing voice.

"All right" Serena called back. "Don't take too long in there. Andrew's got all kinds of goodies to eat out here."

Jess giggled. "Sounds good. Just give me a few minutes."

She heard footsteps walk away from the door and then she stepped into the shower and let the hot water chase away the chill and wash away the signs of her tears.

Serena walked back into the kitchen and was confronted with three pairs of questioning eyes. "She said she's okay. She sounded fine to me."

Andrew and Rini both sighed their relief, but Darien looked a little troubled. "I know I felt something a minute ago. It wasn't big, just a small tremor, but I definitely felt it."

"Dare, I don't think for one minute that she's completely okay." Serena told him. "But I think she's handling it as best as she can. I'm sure we can expect a few minor tremors or something of that nature. She's had a major shock. This cheerfulness that she's displaying is just to keep us from worrying about her. All we can do is be supportive and try to help her if she needs it."

Darien smiled at her. "You're right. But then again, you usually are nowadays. Whatever happened to my feather brained meatball head?"

Serena grimaced and stuck her tongue out at him, making him laugh. It showed that under the layer of maturity she now wore, the joking, fun-loving Serena that he had fallen so hard for five years ago was still there.

* * *

Talon smiled to himself as he heard the panicked whispers fade away from his princess's mind. He had used the piece of dark energy inside of her to give her false sense of calmness. This was his latest plot to win her over.

To everyone else, and even to herself, she would seem to be accepting of the events of her past. He would keep her calm and happy for the most part. But every now and then he would drop the magic and let her true emotions come through, making her dependant on him for her emotional well being. It shouldn't take too long for her to come looking for him like a junkie looking for their next fix.

"Why are you toying with that girl." the deep formless voice asked. "You already know that you can take over her mind anytime you want. So why don't you just take her already and get it over with."

Talon turned to look at the shapeless mist. "Yes, I could take her now, but I want her to come to me on her own. I could invade her mind completely and turn her into a mindless zombie like all of the youma I command, but I would much rather have her by my side with her spirit intact. I want her passion, not just another body to use. There are enough women out there to use for that purpose."

"You fool." the voice snarled. "She has bewitched you. You have let yourself become besotted with her. You have fallen in love with her."

"Love" Talon barked out in laughter. "I have no use for that useless human emotion anymore. Beryl taught me that lesson well when she threw my love away to chase after that clod Endymion. She took my heart and destroyed it. So no, I don't love the girl. I desire her, yes, but never love."

The cloud swirled around. "So what is your next move?"

Talon looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think I'll give them a few days rest. That will give me time to get the princess exactly where I want her. The next time we meet, she'll be ready for me."

"As you wish." the voice responded as it disappeared. It reappeared seconds later in another smaller chamber. "Bastian" it bellowed.

There was a dull flash of light and a man appeared. He looked to be around thirty with bright red hair and reddish brown eyes. He wasn't an overly large man, but was fairly tall with a slender, yet muscular build.

He bowed deeply. "You called for me, my lord?"

"Yes" the voice replied. "I'm afraid that Talon has lost sight of our mission. He has become infatuated by the young princess and is more interested in playing games with her instead of bringing her to us so that we have use of her power."

"Damn fool" Bastian growled. "What do you suppose we do about it?"

There was a moment of silence before the voice questioned, "How many of the youma are loyal enough to you that they would take your orders without hesitation?"

A sinister grin turned up the man's lips. "At least half. I have spent years cultivating relationships with them in the event that I would need their assistance. Why? Are we going to launch our own attack?"

"We might." the mist said. "Just round up your most trusted youma and have them standing by. If Talon doesn't make a move soon, we will just go take the princess ourselves."

"Very good, my lord." Bastian said with a bow, turning to leave the room.

"Oh, and Bastian," he was called back by the voice. "Make sure you plan this carefully. There is no room for mistakes. I hope you prove to be a better leader than your sister was."

A snort left the man. "No worries there. Beryl was a fool. She was more interested in chasing men than she was about gaining the power we deserve. I will go start making our preparations."

He left, leaving the mist floating there making plans of its own. Soon he would have one of the strongest powers in the universe in his hands. Then he would be able to inhabit a human body again. And as for the little half blood princess, well once he had her crystal in his possession he would have no use for her. He would thoroughly enjoy watching every drop of blood leave her body as she died.

As far as Talon was concerned, the man had just about lived out his usefulness as well. The idiot actually thought that he was going to rule the universe. He would be disposed of along with the princess he so desired.

A low chuckle left the cloud. "Yes, this miserable existence is starting to look up."

* * *

Jess gave a low murmur and snuggled deeper into the warmth that was cocooning her. She had just woken up from the best night's sleep she could ever remember having, but she felt so warm and safe that she hadn't bothered to open her eyes yet.

Figuring she should probably greet the day, she cracked an eye open and discovered why she felt so comfortable. Her head was cushioned on Andrew's shoulder and her arm was draped across his waist. He had both of his arms wrapped protectively around her and held her close to his side. They were both stretched out on one of his living room couches.

Turning her head slightly, she saw Serena and Darien in a similar position on the other couch while Rini was splayed out in a recliner. She smiled as she remembered the night before.

After she had finished her shower, they had all sat up and indulged in junk food while talking about just about everything. Serena and Darien had been naturally curious about her life up until now, and for once she had found it easy to talk about her parents without tearing up.

After swapping life stories, they had all settled in to watch a movie. Not too long into it, she had lost the battle to stay awake and had fallen asleep. Judging by the sleeping people around the room and the television that was still on, she wasn't the only one.

She tried to sit up, but Andrew's arms tightened around her as he opened his sleep clouded hazel eyes. He blinked a few times before giving her a lazy grin.

"Good morning" he said huskily.

"Good morning" she purred, giving him a quick kiss. "Sleep well?"

He stretched a little. "Yeah. How about you?"

"Like a rock." she smiled. "This is a nice way to wake up though."

"It does seem to make Monday mornings seem a little easier to bear." he agreed.

She froze at his words. Monday morning? Then that meant… She grabbed his arm to look at his watch, letting out a squeal when she saw the time.

She shot up from the couch. "Oh man! I am so late!" she wailed. "I can't believe I slept in."

A pillow sailed at her from the direction of the recliner and hit her upside the head. "Keep it down will you. Some of us are still trying to sleep." Rini grumbled as she pulled a blanket over her head.

She shot an exasperated look at the blanket covered lump and seriously considered taking that pillow and giving the girl a beating with it, but she didn't have time. She didn't even acknowledge the chuckles she heard coming from the other couch where she guessed Serena and Darien had now woken up as well. Great, might as well have an audience.

She ran around the room. "Where are my stupid shoes? My bag? Crap, I went to sleep with my hair damp. Now I'll never get the tangles out of it. I've still got to run home and change and get my stuff too. This is just perfect."

She continued ranting and letting out long strings of curses, oblivious to everyone else in the room. She finally paused for a moment and saw that they were all gaping at her.

"What?" she asked heatedly.

"Geez, what's your damage?" Rini finally asked.

Jess let out a frustrated breath. "I'm late for a class, that's what's wrong."

Andrew smacked his forehead. "I forgot you have an early class on Mondays. If I had remembered I would have set an alarm for you. By the way, what class do you have?"

She gave him a confused look. "English, why?"

A round of laughter went around the room. Serena shook her head. "I don't think you need it."

Jess was completely bewildered now. "What?"

Andrew got up and crossed to her, putting an arm around her. "Sweetheart, you have been tearing around here, screaming like a banshee and cussing up a storm in English for the last several minutes."

Her cheeks flushed. "Old habits die hard I guess. I'm so used to speaking both Japanese and English that it's easy to slip up sometimes. I'm surprised it hasn't happened before."

Darien laughed as he sat up. "I haven't heard English like that since I came back from the states. Now I see why you resent taking that class so much."

"So skip it." Rini said, making all eyes turn toward her. "I was just talking to Helios a few minutes ago before I was so rudely woken up. He wants to meet up with us in a little while."

Jess looked uncertain. "I guess I could this once. Did he say what he wanted?"

Rini grinned. "It's a surprise. He just said that he would meet us at Darien's apartment in about an hour."

Jess groaned and threw herself back down on the couch. "I hate surprises, he knows that."

"Yeah, he said that." Rini acknowledged. "But I think you'll like this one."

"We'll see about that." Jess growled. "Now I've got to find my bag. It's got my emergency brush and hair ties in it. If I don't get this mess out of my face, I'm going to take the closest pair of scissors to it."

Andrew ran to his bedroom and reappeared seconds later with her blue backpack. "Calm down, here it is. Don't you dare cut your hair."

She giggled as she took the bag. "I wouldn't really do it. It just gets in my way. That's why I keep it braided most of the time. Have you ever tried to wash paint out of your hair? I have a hard enough time shampooing this mop as it is."

Andrew excused himself to change and Jess pulled out her brush and started trying to straighten her hair out, muttering at the number of tangles she was encountering. Finally triumphing over them, she pulled it back into a ponytail. It fell in long honey kissed curls and waves to her waist.

"I guess that will do for now." she sighed.

"Good" Andrew said, coming back into the room. "Let's get this show on the road then. I'm sure you want to go by your place and change before we meet up with Helios."

She nodded. "As comfy as your clothes are, I would appreciate getting into some of my own."

Andrew grabbed his keys and turned to her. "How about a ride on my motorcycle?" He picked up two helmets with a grin.

"Yes!" she screeched, securing her backpack over her shoulders and grabbing one of the helmets. "I've been begging for weeks to take a ride on it."

The five of them went downstairs. Serena, Darien, Jess, and Rini waited on the sidewalk in front of the arcade while Andrew went to retrieve his motorcycle from the shed in the back where he kept it.

He pulled up to the curb a few moments later, the sleek, black bike glistening in the sunlight. Jess pulled her helmet on and secured it.

"I guess we'll see you at your place in a little while." Andrew said to Darien as Jess climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He turned to smile at her over his shoulder. "Hold on tight."

Jess's eyes widened a little and a small shiver shook her body as his words stirred up a long forgotten memory.

_Endymion reached down from the back of a large black horse and lifted her up to sit in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and picked up the reins_

"_Hold on tightly." he whispered in her ear._

_She giggled. "I will, Daddy."_

She gave her head a small shake to clear it. She felt that panicked feeling trying to well up inside of her again, but blissfully it died out quickly. Looking up, she met Andrew's worried gaze.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

She pasted a bright smile on her face. "Never better. Now let's go."

Andrew shared a look with the others, knowing that they had seen the hazy look that had passed over Jess's face. Deciding that now was not the time to press the issue, he said, "Okay. Here we go."

They shot away from the curb and sailed down the street with a loud roar from the engine. The other three watched them until they were nothing but a small dot.

"I don't like this." Serena muttered. "Something's not right. I know she's got to be feeling some confusion and maybe even some anger. I felt it for just a second there, but then it just disappeared. Nobody can turn their emotions off like that."

Darien sighed. "I know. I sensed it too. I'll bet that son of a bitch Talon has something to do with it."

"Hey guys." Rini broke in. "Let's just get back to the apartment. Helios said that he had a lot to discuss with us. I think it has something to do with Jess and why she's acting the way she is."

The three of them started walking toward Darien's apartment, each of them hoping that the Elysian priest would have some answers as to why the reincarnation of the former princess seemed to be so bright and cheerful when most normal people would be freaking out over all she had learned in the past twenty four hours.

* * *

Jess felt a warm flush color her cheeks and she tightened her arms around Andrew's waist. They had left her apartment and were on their way to Darien's. As they pulled to a stop at a traffic light, Andrew reached down with one hand and squeezed hers that were clasped around him reassuringly.

Normally, it would have only taken her a few minutes to change clothes, but they had ended up spending almost the whole hour they had before meeting Helios at the apartment.

When they had arrived, they found the place unusually empty. Dawn and Nebula were nowhere to be seen. Jess had excused herself and had gone to her room and gathered some clothes before going into the bathroom to wash up and change.

She had washed her face and brushed her teeth before pulling on her clothes. She reached for her jeans, only to realize that they weren't there. Thinking she must have left them on her bed, she cracked open the door. Her room was right across the hall. She had left Andrew sitting in the living room, so she should be able to manage the five steps to her door in nothing but her t-shirt and panties without being seen.

She opened the door fully and stepped out into the hall. She had only taken two steps when she heard a sharp intake of breath. Turning her head, she saw Andrew standing there staring at her. He had obviously been studying one of her paintings, but now his attention was focused completely on her.

She stood frozen as his eyes traveled up the long length of her exposed legs. A fire began to burn in his eyes as he took in the rest of her shape, clearly defined by the tight shirt she was wearing. He met her gaze with his own. And she felt it burn straight to her soul.

Her mouth opened to explain, but no words would come out. Andrew crossed over to her in a few long strides and hauled her into his arms before claiming her mouth in a searing kiss. After a moment of shock, she began to respond with equal fervor.

He backed her up until her back was against the wall. Lifting her legs, he wrapped them around his waist. The need for air soon had them breaking apart, but Andrew continued his assault on her senses as he drug his lips down the long column of her neck.

"You're driving me crazy." he whispered on a ragged breath as he brought one hand up to caress her cheek.

She let out a moan at the feel of his lean, muscular body pressed so intimately against her own. She buried her fingers in the soft silky hair at his nape and pulled his head back a fraction. "You're driving me crazy too."

Not sure how it happened, she soon found herself sprawled out on her bed with Andrew on top of her. Somehow his shirt had disappeared along with hers and both of their hands were busy wandering over each other's bodies.

She shuddered as his hand traveled up her inner thigh. She had never felt the way he was making her feel right now. She never wanted it to end. They had made out before, but this was different. The emotions roiling around them were more intense than they had ever been before.

Andrew pulled back and looked down at the woman beneath him. Her cheeks were stained a faint pink, her lips were slightly swollen and begged for him to take them once more. Her eyes shimmered like the deepest of sapphires, dazed with passion.

He knew that if he went through with this, he would be her first. She had shyly confessed to him weeks ago that she had never been with anyone, and he felt honored that she wanted to be with him. But common sense prevailed, and he knew that this wasn't the way he wanted her to remember this experience.

She reached to cup his face in her hands, but he took them in his own. "Baby, we have to stop." he whispered.

She looked taken aback. "What?" she said softly.

He pressed his forehead to hers. "We have to meet the others in twenty minutes. When we decide to do this, I want it to be special. I don't want it to be rushed."

Tears sprang to her eyes and she turned her head away. "Did I do something wrong?"

Andrew was shocked. Cupping her cheek, he made her eyes meet his. "Not at all. But you deserve more than a moment of quick insanity for your first time. I want to make it perfect for you."

Her tears spilled over at his words. What did she ever do to deserve such a warm, caring guy? She smiled and nodded at him. "Okay, we'll wait. But just so you know, I love you and I'm ready to take the next step in this relationship."

Andrew groaned and rolled off of her. "Get up and put some clothes on before I forget all my chivalrous intentions."

She started to tease him, but decided not to. She wanted their first time together to be special too, so she rolled off the bed and quickly dressed. Picking up his shirt from her floor, she tossed it at him. "At least return the favor and get yourself dressed too." she said with a grin.

He got up from the bed and quickly pulled his shirt on. "Okay, are we ready?" At her nod, he grabbed her hand and led her from the room and away from temptation. "Let's go then. We don't want to be late."

So here they were, cruising down the street toward the tall building where Darien lived. Jess licked her lips in nervousness and almost groaned aloud. They were still slightly swollen and sensitive from the kisses she had shared with Andrew earlier. Hopefully no one would notice.

Andrew pulled the bike into the parking garage and parked next to Darien's own blue motorcycle. Next to it was his red sports car.

Jess let out a whistle. "You guys sure enjoy your toys, don't you?"

Andrew grinned as he helped her off the bike. "Hey, we have to impress you ladies somehow."

Jess smiled and ran a hand up his arm. "Oh don't worry, I'm impressed." she said in a low voice.

He let out a small groan and his eyes closed for a second. "Stop that, or I'll be tempted to forget this meeting and throw you back on that bike. We'll go back to my place and lock ourselves in for the rest of the day."

She blushed at the implication. "I'm sorry. I'm new at this you know."

"Bull" he growled, "You know exactly what you're doing and it's making me insane."

She stepped away from him with an innocent smile. "Okay, I promise to behave. Now let's go see what this big surprise is all about."

A few minutes and a short elevator ride later, they were standing outside Darien's apartment door. Andrew raised a hand and knocked.

"I've got it." came Rini's bright voice and the sound of swift footsteps. The door swung open to reveal the smiling future princess.

"There you two are." she exclaimed. "We thought you got lost or something. How long does it take to change clothes?"

Andrew's cheeks flushed a little and he turned away from the inquisitive maroon eyes. Jess fixed her gaze on the floor and muttered, "It took me a few minutes, sorry."

Rini just grinned at them. "Whatever you say. Now get in here, Helios got here a few minutes ago."

They walked in and entered Darien's living room. It was the first time Jess had been there, and she gazed about the room, curious about where her past father's reincarnation lived. The room was large, but was almost spartan in its simplicity. He had plain black functional furniture, and there was no clutter to be seen. The walls were white and held a few framed prints, that was it.

Surveying the one wall that was floor to ceiling windows, she admired the view of the city and the way the light flooded the room. "Man, what I could do to this place."

The sound of chuckles had her remembering that she was not alone, she turned to face the other occupants. "Sorry" she murmured with a smile. "But this place is like a blank canvas."

Serena giggled. "I know. I never have understood why this room is so plain, but he decorated the bedroom so beautifully."

"Hey" Darien interjected. "I told you why. This is the room where I study. I like it because there are no distractions. The bedroom is my place to relax, so yeah I made it more appealing."

Jess couldn't help but smile at their exchange. It made a few visions of her past flash through her head. Serenity and Endymion had always enjoyed picking on each other. Looked like some things never changed.

Helios approached her and gave her a big hug. "I'm glad to see you looking well. You must have had a good night, I didn't hear you call out at all."

Jess smiled over in Andrew's direction. "I had the best night. I don't remember ever sleeping so well."

"Good" Helios replied. "I have some questions for you."

"Figures" Jess said with a roll of her eyes as she took a seat on the couch. "Lay it on me."

Helios gave her an indulgent smile. "This isn't an inquisition, so there's no need to get your feathers ruffled." He ignored the glare she shot at him. "I'm merely curious as to how much of your past you remember. Do you have total recollection yet?"

Her brow furrowed in thought. "No, I don't think so. Some things are clear, but there's still a lot that's fuzzy. I'm still getting new images too. They pop up every now and then."

Helios nodded. "Would you allow me to take a look inside your mind? I would like to know exactly how much you remember."

Jess seemed to shrink back into the cushions, her eyes wide in fear. "I'm tired of people messing with my head."

"I wouldn't be messing with anything." Helios reassured her. "I just want to see what you do remember. I may have a plan to make things easier for you."

She shook her head. "But I'm fine. Sure it's a little unnerving, but I feel okay."

Andrew sat next to her and put an arm around her. He shot Helios a dirty look. "Don't you think she's been through enough? She's handling everything like a champ." He caught Darien's eye, looking for some back up, but instead was met with a frown on his best friend's face.

"Nobody's going to do anything to hurt you." Serena said, kneeling down in front of the girl. "Trust us, Jess. We are just concerned about what you may or may not still have locked away. It could put you in danger if you had a sudden recall during a fight. One moment of distraction could mean your life."

Jess raised her head from where she had laid it on Andrew's shoulder and sighed. "Okay. Since you put it that way, I'll do it. I do tend to space out for a second when something flashes into my head."

Helios smiled reassuringly. "Why don't you stretch out and get comfortable? This could take a few minutes."

Andrew got up from the couch and walked around behind it so that he could lean over the back and take her hand as she lay down. He gave her a grin. "I'm right here with you."

She smiled back. "I know." She turned her head as Helios knelt down beside her. "No funny business, right? No more locking me away inside my mind or memory blocks."

"I promise." Helios said as he placed a hand on her forehead. "Now close your eyes and clear your mind."

She closed her eyes, as did Helios. A light golden glow surrounded him as he began an incantation. Jess's figure pressed more firmly into the cushions as her body relaxed.

This went on for a few minutes and then the glow dissipated. "She's asleep." Helios said.

Darien shook his head. "Are you sure about this, Helios?"

The priest nodded. "It's crucial to see what she has remembered. If what Lady Mercury and Lady Mars picked up on yesterday is true, then she could be in more danger than we thought."

Andrew's head snapped up. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Serena walked over and laid a hand on his arm. "Think about it, Drew. Don't you think that with everything that has happened she's been a little too cheerful and accepting?"

"Well, yeah." Andrew began. "But it's just because she's strong enough to handle it. Everyone was making a big deal over her possibly flipping out when the truth came out, but she's proved you wrong."

Darien sighed. "We're not underestimating her strength or her will power. But she has a very confused and traumatized child's memories floating around inside her head. There's no way someone could just accept that as easily as she has."

"What are you trying to say?" Andrew asked, looking down at the sleeping young woman.

"I spoke with both Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars after the battle yesterday." Helios told him. "Mars was concerned because she had felt the presence of a dark power that was not coming from Talon, and Mercury confirmed this when she went over the scans from her computer. The dark energy was coming from Jess."

Andrew stared wide-eyed. "Are you saying she's becoming evil?"

"No, not at all." Serena said hastily. "But did you notice how Talon made her stop her attack yesterday. There was a change in her eyes, like he had some control of her. We want to make sure that he isn't invading her mind. If he is, then he could take her from us easily."

Andrew remember back to the hurried moments when he had knocked Jess out of the way of Talon's attack the day before. Now that he thought about it, she had stared up at him almost unseeingly for a moment. Her eyes had been darker than usual, a deep bottomless black, but it had passed so quickly that he had thought he imagined it.

"So it wasn't my eyes playing tricks on me." he whispered.

"No it wasn't." Helios confirmed. "Now I'm going to see if I can find out what's going on inside her."

The room was silent as he replaced his hand on Jess's forehead. She let out a small sigh and her lips turned up into a slight smile as her symbol appeared. Helios closed his eyes again as he began sifting through the contents of her mind. Skipping over the thoughts from this lifetime, he zeroed in on the memories of the Silver Millennium.

Several minutes passed as the other occupants of the room watched with baited breath. No expression showed on the priest's face, but every now and then Jess would twitch or let out a low sound. Sometimes she smiled, and sometimes she frowned. Once, a single tear rolled down her cheek from under her closed lids.

Suddenly a small tremor shook the building a little and she sat up abruptly, breaking her contact with Helios. Her eyes opened once again to reveal pitch-black darkness. She glared at the priest with those bottomless orbs for a moment before a burst of dark energy knocked him back several feet.

"Leave me alone." she growled out in a deep voice, not sounding at all like herself.

Andrew looked on in astonishment. Realizing that he still held her hand clasped tightly in his, he gave it a squeeze. "Jess?"

She turned her head to look at him, her black eyes seemed to sear right through him for a moment before something in them broke. They flashed back and forth between the black and her usual blue. Small tears began leaking from the corners.

"Toki" she whispered, clenching his hand tightly in her own.

"Yeah Melly, I'm here." He responded softly as he cupped her cheek with his other hand. "I told you I would stay right beside you. I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled as her eyes cleared completely of the darkness. She turned her cheek further into his palm and breathed out softly, "Best friends forever." She then closed her eyes and fell back into the cushions once more.

"What the hell was that about?" Andrew growled out, looking at Helios, who was picking himself up off the floor. "I though you said you weren't going to mess with her head."

"I didn't." Helios replied. "That was purely a defensive action caused by the piece of dark energy I found buried in her. I can only assume that Talon planted it in her the other night at the park when he broke through her mind."

Darien groaned. "So he does have control of her?"

"On the contrary, my prince." Helios rebuked. "While it's true that he could, I feel no malicious intent coming from it. It seems to just be sitting there, acting like a barrier of sorts between her emotions and her memories."

Serena had backed up against a wall and stood there shaking. Memories from five years ago were swamping her mind. "I don't believe that." she whispered.

All eyes turned to her. "What do you mean?" Darien asked her in concern, reaching for her.

She shuddered as his arms closed around her. "I've seen those eyes before. There's nothing innocent about what's being done to her."

"I'm not saying it's innocent, but it doesn't seem to be out to harm her at the moment." the priest clarified.

Darien put a hand under her chin to raise her gaze to his. "What did you mean about seeing those eyes before? Something shook you up pretty bad."

Staring up at him, she couldn't help but see another picture in her mind. She was on her knees on a cold stone floor, begging for a brainwashed Endymion to return to her. He stood above her with his sword raised high, ready to strike a killing blow. The whole time he stared at her with deep black soulless eyes.

Another shiver racked her as she tightened her arms around his waist. She buried her face in his chest before mumbling, "Her eyes looked just like yours did when Beryl took you and brainwashed you. The same cold black."

He let out a sigh and held her tighter to him. He had known that thoughts of when she had had to fight against him while he was under Beryl's control had always bothered her, but she had never wanted to talk about it. When he had regained his memories a few months after the final battle with the witch, he had asked her about it. She had only said that it was in the past and there wasn't anything to talk about. He should have known better.

"I'm sorry." he breathed in her ear. "I know it was hard for you."

Helios shook his head. "I don't think we have that to worry about this time. It takes a massive amount of negative energy to brainwash someone. This is just a small piece. While not enough to take control of her completely, I think Talon could be playing with her emotional balance."

"Oblivion" Serena whispered, pulling away from Darien. "That bastard keeps promising her to make everything go away. He's keeping her true emotions locked away so she becomes dependant on him."

"Exactly" Helios confirmed with a nod. "The longer she keeps denying her true feelings, the more she'll crave the numbness that he's providing. When he decides to drop the wall between her consciousness and her emotions, she'll be willing to crawl to him on her hands and knees to reclaim that nothingness."

"So what do we do?" Andrew demanded.

"We be honest with her." Rini spoke up. "If I know anything about her it's that she can't stand secrets and lies. We tell her what we think is going on. How can she fight against it if she doesn't know it's happening?"

Serena and Darien stared at their future daughter, once again getting the feeling that Rini knew Jess a lot better than they thought.

Helios smiled at her. "I think that is for the best too. I believe it's time to pop my little surprise on her."

He turned back to the sleeping girl on the couch and once again placed a hand on her head. The symbol that was still glowing softly on her brow faded and a few seconds later her eyes opened.

She blinked several times to bring everything into focus and then looked around. A smile appeared on her lips, and then slowly faded as she took in the grim looks on the faces around her. She looked up into Andrew's concerned eyes and swallowed convulsively.

"Uh oh, what's wrong?" she asked. "Why does everyone look so freaked?"

Helios patted her arm and gave her a smile. "We're just a little worried about something. The good news is you've remembered quite a lot, more than I would have thought at this time. But I need to ask you, have you been feeling differently? I know a lot has happened the last few days, but has anything seemed really out of the ordinary."

Jess looked at him with startled eyes for a moment before sitting up. "Is it that obvious? I thought I was hiding it pretty well."

"Hiding what?" Serena asked, taking a seat next to her.

Jess took a deep breath. "Something weird is going on inside me. I usually have a tendency to overreact and act rashly. You would think that with everything I've found out, that I would be completely wigging out. Every now and then I feel the panic and frustration inside me, and then it just goes away. I know it's not normal. Then that voice comes and tells me that he will make it all better if I come to him."

"So my suspicions were correct." Helios sighed.

"What suspicions?" Jess demanded.

They told her the story of what had happened at the park the other night after she collapsed. They kept nothing from her. She was filled in on Talon's attack on her and what had happened in Elysian. Helios told her what he had felt when he had looked inside her mind and what had happened.

After the story was finished, she leaned against Andrew, who had taken a seat on her other side. She was visibly shaking and he hugged her tightly.

"Hey" he said softly. "Don't worry. We'll get him and then you'll never have to worry about him again."

She shook her head. Thunder rumbled off in the distance, making Serena and Rini both jump. Disengaging herself from Andrew's embrace, she walked over to the glass wall and gazed out at the rapidly darkening sky. Taking several deep breaths, she composed herself. The thunder faded away and dark clouds vanished.

Turning back to the others, her eyes were almost glowing. "I'm not going to be a pawn in his sick little game. He destroyed one of my lives, and now he's trying to do the same thing all over again. I refuse to sit back and watch it happen. I'll fight him and I will beat him. He'll regret the day he ever decided to mess with me."

"You're not doing this alone." Serena said, stepping up beside her. "We're all going to be with you. All of the scouts and the generals will stand beside you too. He had a hand in destroying all of our lives and it's time that it was ended."

Jess surveyed the woman standing in front of her and felt a surge of emotion swell up inside of her. For a moment it wasn't Serena standing there, but the Princess Serenity from her distant memories. Unable to stop herself, she threw herself into Serena's arms.

"Thank you" she whispered.

Serena couldn't stop the tears that sprang to her eyes as she embraced this young woman who was the embodiment of everything that her past daughter should have grown to be. Pulling away from each other, they both giggled as they wiped tears from their eyes.

Jess smiled through the tears. "Geez Serena, hanging out with you could be bad for me. You've turned me into a sentimental wreck."

Darien chuckled as he joined them. "Yeah, she has that effect on people."

Jess turned her teary smile on him and he couldn't help himself. She may be grown now, but under the surface he still saw that bubbly little girl with the button nose and gapped toothed grin. He reached out and pulled her into an enormous bear hug.

She froze for a moment, taken by surprise. But as his warmth surrounded her, the scent of chocolate, roses, and coffee made Endymion's face rise to the front of her mind. He had always smelled like that, even in the past. It made her feel so safe and secure that she couldn't stop a small sob that broke through as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder.

The sound of a throat being cleared had them pulling apart. Darien looked deeply into the eyes that mirrored his own so much and said, "Serena was right. We're all going to be right beside you. This time things will be different."

Rini made a gagging sound. "Okay, break it up. This is so sweet I'm getting nauseous."

Everyone laughed at her petulant expression. Helios put an arm around her and leaned down to whisper something in her ear. Her face lit up with at smile at whatever he said.

Jess turned to look at Andrew. He gave her a blinding smile and held out his arms. With a squeal, she bounded toward him and leapt into his embrace. He held her tightly as he spun them around a few times. Forgetting for a minute that they had an audience, their lips met in a short, but lingering kiss.

Rini groaned. "I said knock it off. You people are seriously trying to warp my brain."

"All right, all right." Jess said with a devilish look on her face. "I forgot that there was a little kid present."

Rini swelled up, her face turning almost the same shade as her eyes. "Little kid! I'm only two years younger than you, you know."

Jess laughed. "Chill Rini. I was just picking on you. Big sisters are allowed to do that."

Now Rini was the one feeling sentimental. A few tears sprang into her eyes as her face returned to its natural color. She turned her head to hide the evidence. "It still wasn't funny." she grumbled.

Jess turned to face Helios with a serious look. "So what do we do to get Mr. Psychopath out of my head? I'm not backing out of this fight just because he can send me off to la la land at the snap of his fingers."

Helios regarded her with a smile. "No one would expect any less from you." He held out a hand to her. "I want to show you something, if you'll let me."

She only hesitated for a moment before reaching out and taking his hand. A white light enveloped them, and when it cleared, they were standing in a beautiful rose garden.

Jess looked around in wonder. Another flash of light signaled the arrival of Serena, Darien, Rini, and Andrew.

"Where are we?" Jess whispered. "I know this place from somewhere."

Helios gave her a low bow and gestured widely with his hand. "Welcome back to Elysian, princess."

"Oh my god." she gasped, clutching her chest as the hold on her mind disappeared and all of the pent up emotions that had been suppressed came rushing forward. Memories of all the time she had spent here in the past bloomed in her mind. She felt hands holding her, but shook them off.

She tried to run, to get away from the fear and panic that was threatening to tear her apart. Her legs were shaking so bad and her vision so clouded by tears that she only managed a few steps before falling to her knees.

She once again felt arms surround her. She tried to fight them off, but her attempts were feeble. She finally gave up and just sat there.

"What's happening to her?" she heard a voice demand.

That voice. It stirred something inside her. It was like a ray of light in the darkness. Desperate for a moment of sanity, she clung to that voice like a lifeline. She sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm herself.

"Drew" she whimpered.

The arms tightened around her. "I'm right here, sweetheart. I've got you." he whispered into her hair.

She heard Helios's voice as well. "The dark power can not enter here. The hold it has on her has been interrupted. What she is feeling now are her true emotions."

Jess latched on to what he was saying. She knew that in order to defeat Talon, she had to conquer her own demons first. Reaching deep inside herself, she found her resolve and inner strength. She was not going to let this beat her. She was made of stronger stuff.

Composing herself, she pulled slightly away from Andrew. Scrubbing the tears from her cheeks, she gave him a weak smile. "I'm okay." She glanced around at the others who looked doubtful. "All right, I'm not okay. But I'm not going to let this get to me. I still have a mission to complete. If I happen to have a few meltdowns along the way, so be it."

Helios grinned and nodded. "Spoken like a true princess."

She wrinkled her nose up in a grimace. "Ugh, don't call me that. You know me better than that Helios, I'm no princess."

Serena beamed a smile at her. "Spoken like a true sailor scout then."

She let out a shaky breath. "Now that one I'll claim. So why did you bring me here? Have I not been tortured enough the last few days?"

"This isn't to torture you, but to heal you." Helios replied. "Here you can confront your feelings without worrying about damaging the earth. If you can work your way through them and accept them, then Talon will hold no sway over you. You will be able to face him with your mind clear."

"We thought we could spend a couple of days here." Serena told her. "Since time moves differently here, we can stay and still get back to what's technically tonight."

"Uh guys, I've got to work this afternoon." Andrew said.

Jess gripped his shirt, feeling a little panicky again. "You can't leave me. Your voice was the only thing that reached me when I was freaking out. If you're not here, I don't know what will happen."

"Hey" he soothed. "I'm not going anywhere right now. It's still early morning back home. I don't go in until five. That means I can stay today, tonight, and most of tomorrow with you. If you're still uncomfortable with me leaving, I'll think of something."

"Okay" she sighed. "Now what do we do?"

"Well I for one am going to get something to eat." Rini said, turning toward Helios. "I think someone offered me pancakes?"

Helios chuckled. "So I did. Jess, I think what you should do is wander around. Your memories will return to you faster being here. Don't try to fight them or the feelings they bring with them. This is an important step in accepting everything."

She climbed to her feet with Andrew's help. "All right. But did somebody say something about pancakes? I'm starved."

"Yeah, me too." Serena interjected. "I haven't had breakfast yet, and my stomach is growling like crazy."

Darien and Andrew shook their heads and chuckled at the sight of the three women ushering the priest toward the palace.

"They sure love their food, don't they?" Andrew replied.

Darien nodded. "I guess we'd better go help him. I don't think anyone could handle all three of them at once."

Laughing, the two guys went to follow the priest and keep him from incurring the wrath of three very hungry princesses.

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" Talon's voice bellowed, echoing off the stone walls of the cavern and bouncing down the halls. Earlier he had felt the stirring of emotions in the princess's head and had sensed someone probing into her mind. He had sent out a small surge of power to reinforce his hold on her, and that had seemed to stabilize things. But now it was if she had just disappeared. He could no longer feel her mind or her power. It was like she had vanished into thin air.

He knew she wasn't asleep, because even then he could sense her. She wasn't dead, he would have felt the release of her power as she died. Thinking about the possibilities, it suddenly dawned on him.

"That damn priest." he ground out. "He took her to Elysian. Damn it all."

Elysian was the one place that his powers could not reach. That was why they had hid the young princess there a millennia ago. This wasn't good. His plan was based on keeping her under his control until she was ready to accept her fate with him. The longer she stayed out of his reach, the stronger her resistance to him would become.

He threw a glass across the room where it shattered against the wall. His plan was unraveling before his very eyes. If she were able to deny him and also reclaim the rest of her crystal, he was as good as dead and he knew it. She would snuff him out like the flame of a candle with a mere flick of her wrist.

An evil cackle filled the room. "It seems your grand plan has failed Talon. The princess has eluded your grasp and now is a major threat to our operation."

Talon threw himself down into a chair and ran a hand through his tousled brown hair. "It's not over yet. She doesn't have the crystal and there are other options we can pursue."

"So you're finally just going to take her?" the voice asked.

Talon buried his face in his hands. "I don't know. I need some time to think. I'll come up with something."

"I'm sure you will." the voice answered as it faded.

Talon threw back his head and sighed. He was feeling so much conflict at the moment, but couldn't understand what it meant. On one hand he was enraged by this turn of events, on the other he couldn't help but admire her and her resiliency.

"Why must you always run from me, Melody?" he whispered. "I would treat you like the queen you were born to be. Nobody would ever hurt you again. We could rule the universe together."

He felt something on his cheek and reached up to touch it. Pulling his fingers back, he was amazed to find a drop of wetness clinging to them. He had not shed a tear in a thousand years. Not since that bitch Beryl had ripped his heart out and had stomped it into the ground beneath her foot. He had closed himself off from all the useless emotions after that. He felt no love, compassion, sympathy, or any other of those frail human feelings anymore.

But as he stared at that single teardrop, he felt something in him crack just a little. The vision of a face with a few golden freckles dusted across a tiny button nose and framed with long curling locks of rich caramel hair filled his mind. Those deep ocean blue eyes sparkled at him and a graceful smile curled her pink lips.

Pressing a hand to his eyes, he groaned. "What are you doing to me, princess?"

In a chamber not too far away, a red haired man knelt before the shapeless cloud of energy.

"What do you have to report, Bastian?" the voice asked.

Bastian straightened up. "My lord, I have fifteen of my most trusted youma standing by. They only await your command."

The cloud swirled. "Very good. Tell them that we will attack tomorrow night. The princess is not to be harmed yet, we need her to obtain the crystal. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly, my lord. They will be ready." With a bow, he left the room.

"So it begins." the voice said. "The second prophecy will be fulfilled and the angel of darkness will rise. Then I will eliminate her and take it all for myself."

A booming evil laugh emanated from the cloud and echoed through the corridors, making the youma that heard it cringe in fear.

**A/N **Uh oh, looks like Talon may be the least of our newfound princess's worries. Oh yeah, I'm just getting warmed up. More enemies are coming onto the scene and now the second prophecy that I hinted at a couple of chapters ago is going to come into play. Life and death are fixing to clash big time. And just to tease all of you evil laugh someone will die soon. You may be surprised who it is and how it happens. :p Make me smile guys, review and tell me what you think. Later!

Sere-chan


	20. Bleeding Hearts

**A/N** OMG!!! I can't believe you guys. 200 + reviews. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you guys have got to be the best fans in all of fan fiction. I am so happy I can barely stand myself. I love reading what each and every one of you have to say about my story. I would love to give every last one of you a hug if I could, but I'll have to settle for this. BIG HUGS TO:

**snoopykid **

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You guys are the greatest! I can't believe that we are at Chapter 20 already. Seems almost like yesterday that I started this project. Originally I know I said 20 chapters, but my muse kicked into overdrive at the response to this story, so I don't know how many more chapters there will be. It just keeps growing. So it will end when it ends. I just hope that all of you stick around for the ride.

_**WARNING**_ This chapter is somewhat different from the ones in the past. I was in a real angsty mood when I wrote most of it, and it kind of spilled over. I thought about scrapping it, but when I went back and read it, I decided I liked it. There is no enemy action here, instead it focuses on relationships and sexual frustration. Don't worry, nothing too dirty. I wanted to keep this story at a T rating because I'm aware that I have many readers who are underage. I'm going to shut up now…LOL!

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 20

Bleeding Hearts

Andrew sighed as he sat down the empty beer bottle. He had lost count of how many he had drunk, but by the number of bottles that littered the table, it was a lot.

He stared through blurry eyes at the clock, trying to read the time. Five o clock in the afternoon. He was supposed to be going into work right now, but he had called in someone to take his place and told them that he was sick.

He wasn't really lying. He was sick, heartsick. He leaned his head against the cool glass of the window and felt like screaming in frustration as he thought back over the events of the past day.

He had spent a day and a night in Elysian with Jess, trying to help her sort through all of her confusing memories and emotions. It had been an emotional roller coaster that had left his head spinning and him feeling like he had been wrung out and left hanging to dry.

Just when it seemed like everything was going to work out all right, he had been dealt a nasty blow.

He threw himself on the couch and let the misery in his soul swamp him.

**_Flashback_**

That first day there, when they had gone into the palace to have breakfast, they had been pleasantly surprised to find that Aurora and Nebula were both there as well. They had enjoyed a leisurely meal, chatting and laughing as they ate. Even Jess seemed like she was having a good time as she giggled and talked with everyone. Every now and then she would fall quiet and seem to space out for minute, but would bounce right back as if nothing happened.

After eating, they decided to enjoy the sunshine and explore the outside. As they walked around, Jess would alternate between her silences and excitement when a certain spot would trigger a new memory for her.

Several times she squealed and grabbed his hand to point out a place and tell him something that had happened there. Serena and Darien would laugh along with her as they also thought back on some of the events that she was recalling.

They were climbing the hill toward a wooded area where sat the large tree that Serenity and Endymion had been so fond of sitting under when suddenly she gasped.

"Oh my gosh, I wonder…" she whispered before taking off at a run.

The others followed close behind as she ran into the woods. She came to a stop at a large oak tree and knelt at its base. Moving a large rock, she revealed a small hole. Inside it was a small bag that was made of a thick blue fabric.

Reaching in and removing it, Jess sat down completely on the ground as she stared at the package in her hands in wonder.

"I never thought it would still be here." she said softly.

"What is it?" Serena asked, as she and the two men joined her on the ground.

Jess looked up at her with a mischievous smile and tear bright eyes. "This was my special hiding place. All those times you couldn't find me, I would be here. I don't know why, but this place always seemed so magical to me."

The others looked around, taking in the scenery. It was a beautiful spot. The tall trees made a leafy green canopy over their heads while soft grass covered the ground. Colorful flowers bloomed everywhere and you could hear the birds singing in the trees.

Opening the bag, Jess pulled out a book. It had a cover of deep sapphire blue with a golden butterfly embossed on the front. She opened the book and flipped through the pages. They were covered in colorful childish drawings. They showed landscapes and animals, and of course the butterflies that had always enraptured the young princess.

Andrew looked over her shoulder and chuckled. "I'm glad to see that your talent has improved with time."

She turned slightly to slap him lightly on the arm. "Hey! I was like four years old when I drew most of these. Do you think you could have done better at that age?"

He held his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. I think they're cute."

"Cute?" she growled. "Cute? Puppies are cute. This is art. Art is not cute."

Andrew threw an arm around her shoulders and gave her a swift kiss on the cheek. "Okay, so I'm artistically challenged. I'm going to shut up now."

"Smart man." Darien mumbled, earning himself a jab in the ribs from Serena. "I'm just saying us men know when to give up, that's all."

The two women glared at the men for several moments before small smiles began twitching at their lips. It wasn't long after that before they both broke out into hysterical giggles.

Darien looked at Andrew in confusion. Andrew looked back at him with a bewildered expression on his face. He gave a shrug of his shoulders to tell his friend that he was just as mystified as he was.

Serena climbed to her feet, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "Sorry guys. We were just having a private woman's moment. Inside joke, you wouldn't understand."

Jess rewrapped the book in the bag and placed it back in the hole. As she moved the rock back to cover it, Andrew touched her arm.

"Are you not taking it with you?" he asked.

There was a look of hard determination in her eyes as she looked at him. "No. That book belongs to another time. I'm not that person anymore. It's nice to look back and remember some of the past events, but I have to focus on what's ahead."

The sun was high in the sky as they made their way back to the palace in search of lunch. The entire walk back, Jess was quiet and subdued. Andrew took her hand and gave her a supportive smile. She returned it weakly, and her hand sat limply in his.

They entered the palace through the patio door that led directly into the kitchen just in time to hear an ear splitting screech.

"Aahhh, you're going to burn them!" Rini screamed as she waved a towel at Helios, who was standing at the stove. "How can a man that is technically about three days older than dirt not possibly know how to make grilled cheese sandwiches?"

Helios moved out of the way as the pink haired virago took his place in front of the smoking skillet. He cocked a head as he looked at her in amusement. A sly twinkle entered his eyes.

Walking up behind her, he leaned down to speak in her ear. "If I'm so old, would I be able to do this?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground, simultaneously letting his fingers tickle her ribs.

"Eeek!" she shrieked as she began squirming in his embrace. "Not the tickling. I'm sorry." She began laughing. "I didn't mean it. Oh please stop."

The group by the door watched this scene with different thoughts running through their heads. Andrew thought it was funny, while Jess was plotting how she could use this to relentlessly tease the priest. Serena just smiled indulgently, but Darien gave a dark glare at the sight of those hands on his future daughter.

Serena caught the look on his face and decided she better diffuse the situation, and fast. She gave a small cough and cleared her throat. "Are we interrupting anything?"

Helios sat Rini back on the ground while the girl shot a frustrated look at them before blushing and mumbling. "No. We're just making lunch."

They walked the rest of the way into the kitchen as Serena put her arm through Darien's. She reached up to whisper in his ear. "Calm down. Don't say anything to her. You remember what happened last time you tried to act paternal."

Darien took a deep breath as he remembered the one fight he had ever had with Rini, right here in the same room. The memory of her stricken face and those large eyes that had filled with tears was enough to make him hold his tongue. He smiled down at Serena in thankfulness.

"Food's ready." Rini said as she sat a plate piled high with sandwiches and a large pot of soup on the table.

Serena gave an appreciative sniff. "Wow Rini. When did you learn how to cook? Lita must have given you lessons."

Rini stuck her tongue out at her. "Just because you can't even boil water doesn't mean I can't learn how to cook."

"I'll be the judge of that, seeing as how I'm the best cook here." Andrew said, getting a bowl of the delicious smelling soup. He took a bite of it and his eyes widened. "This is really good. It tastes just like my mom's."

Rini blushed a little at his compliment and avoided his gaze. She hadn't thought that he would make the connection. She thought back to the day when she had learned how to make this particular recipe.

_The twelve-year-old princess walked into the kitchen of the large house that was located not far from the crystal palace in search of something to drink. She had just reached for a soda in the refrigerator when the back door opened and a tall man walked through carrying grocery bags._

"_Hey cupcake, what's up?" he greeted her. "I didn't expect to see you around today."_

"_Hey Drew." Rini replied. "Mom had something she wanted to talk to sissy about, so we decided to stop by."_

_Andrew rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Well we probably won't see either one of them for a while. Did your dad come with you?"_

"_Nah, he had some kind of meeting to go to." Rini said as she took a sip of her drink._

_Andrew began unpacking the groceries. "That right, I forgot that he had a meeting with that visiting senator today."_

"_Whatcha making?" Rini asked as she took a seat on one of the stools that surrounded the island in the middle of the kitchen and eyed the ingredients that he was laying out._

_He chuckled. "I'm making my mom's chicken soup. It's an old recipe that has been handed down in my family for generations. Would you like to help me make it?"_

"Hey space cadet, are you in there?" A hand waving in front of her face brought Rini blinking back to the present. She turned to glare at the woman next to her.

"Of course I am, you meatball head." she replied heatedly. "I'm not an airhead like you."

Serena let out a squeal of outrage. "Why does everyone keep on calling me that? I hardly ever wear my hair like that anymore."

Darien wiped his mouth with a napkin and grinned at her. "That's not entirely true. Every time you turn into Sailor Moon, your hair goes right back into its old style."

"That's different." she snapped. "It's not like I have a choice how I look when I transform."

"Oh come on Serena." Andrew butted in. "It brings back fond memories of when you used to come into the arcade everyday after school to spend all of your allowance on the Sailor V game and try to wheedle free milkshakes out of me."

They all laughed at that and got into a conversation about things that had happened over the years. They were so wrapped up, they barely noticed when Jess got up from the table to carry her dishes to the sink. She looked back at them and saw that they were deep in their trip down memory lane. She felt a need to be alone for a moment and decided to slip away.

She left through the door that led her into a long hallway. She followed it and soon found herself in the main hall of the palace. As she stood there, she remembered clearly the last time she had been there.

_She stood at the foot of the stairway, rubbing tears from her eyes. A warmth enveloped her as she was suddenly lifted off her feet._

"_Hey, don't cry munchkin." Endymion said as he wiped her cheeks. "We won't be gone long."_

_Serenity smoothed her bangs back with a soft hand. "That's right. We're just going to help your grandmother with a small problem on the moon. Then we'll come right back to you."_

Jess snorted. "Small problem my ass." she muttered. "How naïve did they think I was?"

Looking through a door, she saw the ballroom. She snickered to herself as she remembered all the nights she had snuck out of bed to come down and watch as Serenity and Endymion danced alone in the large room. She herself had spent many hours twirling around the room, waiting for the day she would be grown up and able to dance here with her own prince charming.

Anger gripped her suddenly as she thought of that. That had never happened. She never had the chance to grow up. Talon and Beryl had seen to that. All of the dreams that she had held in her small heart had been shattered on the blade of Beryl's sword.

Her hands clenched into fists. She was going to make Talon pay for what he had done.

Turning to the grand stairway, she began climbing it, her feet following a path that they remembered without even realizing it. She found herself standing outside a closed door. She reached hesitantly for the knob. Something was screaming in the back of her mind that this room was important.

She turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight in front of her.

* * *

Serena wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. They were reliving one of the fights that she and Darien had had back when they first met. Neither one of them could remember now what it had been about, but it had ended with both of them covered in ice cream. Andrew had been so mad at them that he had threatened to banish them both from the arcade permanently.

Rini was slumped over, clutching her stomach as she laughed. "You didn't seriously shove a whole sundae in his face, did you Serena?"

Serena nodded. "I sure did. I don't remember what he said, but it made me mad. I was just going to walk away, but he leaned over the counter and grabbed the whipped cream can and attacked me. Well I couldn't let him get away with that, so I picked up Raye's milkshake and dumped it over his head. Next thing I now, food was everywhere and Andrew was standing over us. He was practically hyperventilating."

Andrew groaned at the memory. "Of course I was. You two trashed the place. That wasn't the only time either. I had to clean up after you guys on several occasions. It was a blessing for me when you two stopped fighting all the time. See what I used to have to put up with, Jess?"

He looked over his shoulder toward the sink where she had last been, but didn't see her. He looked around quickly, not seeing her in the room. "Jess?"

"Where did she go?" Serena asked. "She was just here a minute ago."

At that moment, the ground beneath them trembled softly before giving a mighty shake. Dishes danced across the table and a few pictures even fell from the walls.

Andrew jumped from his seat as a panicked choking sensation gripped him. Without knowing why, he ran from the room with the others right behind him. Following an invisible pull, he dashed down the hall and across the main hall. Taking the stairs two at a time, he thundered up the staircase. Reaching the second floor, he ran for an open doorway and froze at the sight before him.

This room obviously belonged to a little girl. Decorated with white furniture and soft pastel colors, it was a child's dream come true. Toys of all kinds lined the shelves along with games and books. An elaborate dollhouse took up one whole corner of the room. There was also a table that looked as if it had been ready for a tea party, before the tremor had sent the tiny dishes sliding everywhere.

There on the bed, clutching a doll tightly to her chest as she cried was Jess. She was sitting in the middle of the large bed with her knees pulled up, sobbing hysterically into the doll's dress.

Andrew joined her on the bed as the others observed from the door. He put an arm around her, only to have it shaken off abruptly. He pulled back in surprise. She had never rejected him before.

"Honey, are you okay?" he asked in concern.

She lifted her head to stare at him with furiously flashing eyes. "Me? Oh yeah, I'm just peachy. No big deal. I guess it's just my lot in life to have psychotic assholes hunting me down. If I were to die tomorrow, I guess I will be reincarnated again and have to deal with this bullshit all over from the beginning."

"Oh Jess" Serena sighed as she approached the bed. "It's not like that. I know you're…"

"I'm what?" Jess interrupted. "Confused? Well that's only natural. Upset? Yeah, but anyone would be. Most of all I am furious. I wish that son of a bitch was right here in front of me right now. I would take pleasure in beating him into a bloody pulp. Then he'll be the one begging me for oblivion, and I'll gladly give it to him."

Everyone was shocked by her outburst. Their concern intensified when a blue glow began to shine around her and the bed began shaking. Her fingers tightened into the fabric of the doll's dress until they could hear her knuckles cracking. Her breathing became erratic and her eyes were dilated.

An orange blur streaked into the room and jumped on the bed. "Jessica! Stop it right now!" Nebula demanded. She reached out with a paw and slashed Jess viciously across the arm.

"Oww!!" Jess shrieked as the glow disappeared and the shaking stopped. "Damn it! What the hell did you do that for? I was trying to tone it down, you didn't give me a chance."

"Yeah right." Nebula shot back. "You were on the edge of a full blown meltdown. While this palace is magically protected, I think you could still put a dent in it if you don't control that hellish temper of yours. Didn't I teach you anything over the years?"

Jess got up from the bed and threw the doll down on it. "Fine! I get it. Temper is all under control now. Now if you will all excuse me, I've got to get out of here for a while."

She stomped toward the door. When she got there, Darien put a hand on her shoulder. She shook it off just like she had Andrew earlier.

"I was just going to see if you wanted me to look at your arm." he said, gesturing at the long bloody scratches.

She shook her head. "No. They'll be fine. I just need some space."

Darien gave her an understanding look. Going off and finding a quiet place to think was one of his favorite coping mechanisms as well.

Andrew joined him at the door and watched as his troubled girlfriend disappeared down the stairs. "Do you think she'll be okay alone?"

"There's nothing here that can hurt her." Helios told them.

Rini let out a nervous giggle. "Honestly, I think I would more worried about her doing the damage. She sure was mad."

Jess stayed gone for the rest of the day. Andrew snuck out at one point and retraced his steps back to her secret hideaway to look for her, but she wasn't there.

He returned to the palace where he about drove everyone crazy with his pacing. He was grateful when Helios and Darien decided to have a round of training with the Golden Crystal and invited him to tag along.

Serena and Rini decided to come along as well as to watch. They entered a large room that at one time had been used by Endymion and the generals for training and sparring when they had been there.

The three spectators watched as Darien called forth the power of the Golden Crystal, and listening to Helios's advice, began shooting attacks at the dummies at the far end of the room with amazing accuracy. Serena noticed that he barely even broke a sweat.

"He's improved a lot." she murmured. "I think he's finally getting the hang of handling that crystal."

Andrew huffed beside her. "Well it is an improvement over being able to do nothing besides throw roses. Of course, I can't even do that. All I can do is hope that I'm fast enough to get Jess out of the way if anything is coming at her."

Rini rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Is that what you think? You'll never be much help in a fight thinking like that."

Andrew looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

Rini shook her head at him. "What do I mean? I happen to be talking about the fact that your past mother was a sailor scout and you are also a crystal carrier. You have that power inside you. You just have to learn how to use it."

Andrew just looked at her until she decided to take matters in to her own hands. "Come here. I'll show you." she said, dragging him away from the wall where they had been standing and further into the room. They caught Darien and Helios's attention and they turned to watch what was happening.

"Okay" she told him. "We'll do this while we're in our civilian forms. Less damage that way."

Andrew smirked at her. "I couldn't transform even if I wanted to. I only have that once, and it happened on its own. I have no idea how to. I'm just grateful that I don't get stuck wearing a fuku like you girls do."

Serena laughed as she joined them. "No, your transformation definitely suits you more. It makes you look mysterious. And those dark sunglasses and the black leather duster are H-O-T!"

Darien spoke up then. "Your transformation is probably linked to Jess's, like mine is with Serena's. In the beginning, I would transform automatically when she did. But that's pretty easy to learn to control."

Andrew nodded as he turned back to Rini. "All right teacher, show me what to do."

Rini took him through several meditative steps where he had to look inside himself and find his power. It took several minutes, but suddenly his eyes flew open in excitement.

"I see what you mean." he told her. "I think I've found it."

"Okay" she said. "Hold on to that and do this." She held a hand out in front of her. "Slowly draw that energy toward your hand. Imagine it forming into a ball in your palm." A small ball of pink light appeared in her hand.

Andrew closed his eyes for a moment and found that hidden energy again. He did what Rini told him and pictured it slowly forming into a ball in his hand. He saw a flash of light behind his closed lids and heard gasps around him. Opening his eyes, he saw a bright, copper colored ball sitting in his hand.

"Wow" he whispered.

Rini let out a giggle. "You're not done yet. Now you have to launch your attack. Pick your target release that energy at it, like this." She spun and shot her attack at one of the many dummies at the other end of the room. It splintered into hundreds of pieces before the magic of Elysian repaired it good as new.

Andrew took a careful bead on one of the dummies and let go of the hold he had on the energy. It sailed swiftly toward its target and shattered it on impact.

He grinned widely. "Wicked."

Serena laughed. "Yeah it is, isn't it? But in a fight you have to be able to do that at a moments notice."

Rini nodded. "That's right. You don't have time to try to summon your energy. You have to be able to call on it in an instant."

"Not to mention the targets are usually moving." Helios said.

Darien clasped Andrew on the shoulder. "At least you were able to hit the target. When I first started learning how to use my crystal again I had a hard time projecting the energy. It backfired on me several times. You'll get better with practice."

Andrew chuckled. "Thanks guys. I never thought I'd see the day that I would be fighting with you instead of watching from the sidelines."

The sound of someone clearing their throat had them all turning toward the door. They all turned to find Aurora standing there.

She gave them all a small smile. "I just thought I'd let you know that she's back."

Everyone sighed in relief. Jess had been gone for several hours, and they were all glad to hear that she had finally returned.

"Is she okay?" Serena asked quickly.

Aurora sighed. "Mentally she seemed calmed down. Physically, well let's just say that she looks like she took her frustrations out on something. There may be a few trees out there that suffered her wrath. She's gone to shower and said that she would be back down soon. Dinner's ready if anyone is interested."

Serena and Rini's stomachs growled at the mention of food and everyone laughed. They all left the training room and made their way back to the kitchen. When they got there, Aurora began unpacking containers from bags on a counter.

"I got take out. I hope that's okay with everyone." she said.

"Works for me." Serena told her. "It smells great. What is it?"

Aurora giggled. "If I know one way to get Jess in a good mood, it's food from her favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. I popped over there and ordered all of her favorites."

"I never knew you were so devious." Helios joked.

"I'm not devious." Aurora replied. "I just know which of her buttons to push."

They heard running footsteps coming down the hall, and in seconds a wide-eyed Jess was in the doorway,

"Do I smell Mama Rosa's enchiladas?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes you do." Aurora said in disdain. "But after that temper tantrum you threw earlier, I don't know if you deserve any."

Jess squealed and flew across the kitchen to throw her arms around the priestess. "I'm sorry Dawn. I didn't mean to. I just got overwhelmed for a minute. You wouldn't be cruel enough to bring my favorite food in the whole wide world in here and not give me any would you?" She turned her pleading blue eyes on the woman with full force.

Aurora sighed. "No, I guess I wouldn't. But you better behave yourself. You may be grown now, but I'll still bend you over my knee if I have to."

Jess beamed. "I knew you couldn't resist me."

Aurora gave her an indulgent smile. "Now go sit down. I'll have it on the table in just a minute."

Jess turned to the others with a sheepish grin. "Hi guys. Sorry I flipped out earlier. You must think I'm a total nutcase."

Serena and Darien both just smiled at her and shook their heads while Andrew held his arms out to her. She bounced across the floor and leapt into his arms, planting a kiss on his lips. Then she pulled back to lean her forehead against his.

"Am I forgiven?" she whispered.

He just chuckled as he hugged her close. "Always. I think even former princess's are entitled to have emotional breakdowns every now and then."

"You are too good to be true." she said softly.

"And getting better." Andrew told her. "While you were out venting your anger, I began learning about my powers."

They all began talking about what happened in the training room as they began devouring the feast of food that was sat in front of them. Jess seemed genuinely proud of the progress Andrew had made in such a short time, and a light seemed to shine in her eyes.

She took a sip of her soda. "Keep it up and you'll be a force to be reckoned with. We may have to spar down the road. I like a challenge."

Andrew looked horrified. "I would never fight against you. Anyway, we all know that you could pound me into the ground in a heartbeat."

Jess threw back her head and laughed. "I don't mean serious fighting, just a little sparring match. And I'm not as powerful as everybody thinks. I'm missing most of my crystal. I may be able to take out youmas, but I really have to concentrate my energy to do it. That's why I tire out so quickly."

Serena opened her mouth to say where the rest of the crystal was, but was cut off as Helios shook his head slightly. He shot warning looks at everyone at the table. They all remained silent, figuring the priest had a reason for not telling Jess where the rest of the crystal was.

He then addressed the people around him. "I think we need to do something about the dark energy that's inside Jess. Now that she knows that it's there, she can fight against it. But maybe we can get rid of it completely." He turned knowing eyes on Serena.

Serena met his gaze with grim resolve. "You mean I should use the Silver Crystal to banish the dark energy"

Helios nodded. "It's worth a try. I'm sure by now Talon's aware that we know of it. And while I'm sure Jess could fight it, it could be advantageous to get rid of it. What do you say, Jess?"

She looked deep in thought for a minute. "I'm game if Serena is. I don't like the idea of someone lurking around inside my head. It's creepy."

Helios rose from his chair. "Then I suggest that we adjourn to another room and do this. We need Sailor Shadow at her best for this fight, not fighting nonexistent demons."

They all followed him to the ballroom where there was plenty of room.

"I must tell you that this will not be easy, and there could be some side effects." Helios told them.

"What do you mean?" Darien asked.

"The Celestial Crystal's first instinct is to protect." Helios said. "It may see the power of the Silver Crystal as a threat and put up a barrier. It may prove difficult for Serena to break through the defenses and banish the dark energy."

"I can handle difficult." Serena said. "But you said side effects, plural. What else may happen?"

Helios turned to look at Jess. "I'm just making a guess, but I believe you probably have about seventy five percent of your memories intact. If we do this, it might unlock the others in a rush. It could be intense."

Jess looked at all of them with hard determination in her eyes. "I don't care. If this puts us one step closer to ending this whole ordeal, then I'm willing to do it." She then smirked. "If I start freaking out, just hit me over the head or something."

"Not funny." Andrew grumbled.

"My feelings exactly." Darien agreed.

Rini just rolled her eyes at them. "You guys are no fun."

"So let's do this." Jess said walking to the middle of the room.

Serena followed and took a position several yards from her. The others retreated until they stood against the walls. Nobody knew what to expect.

"You ready?" Serena asked Jess.

Jess nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Serena began glowing silver as she called the Silver Crystal forth. As it emerged from her chest, she transformed into Princess Serenity. She cradled the crystal between her palms and leveled a look on the girl across from her. "Okay. Here we go. Moon Healing Activation."

A burst of silver light flew from the crystal and traveled quickly toward Jess. It had closed about half the distance when suddenly a flash of dark blue energy came from her and met the silver energy head on in a thunderous crash. The two powers were in a stalemate, neither giving an inch.

"Jess, you've got to pull it back." Helios yelled at her.

The dark blonde girl was panting for breath and brow was covered in a sheen of sweat. "I'm trying. But it's not exactly easy you know."

The battle continued for a few more minutes, and both women were showing signs of fatigue. Slowly, but surely, the silver energy was creeping closer to Jess as she tried diligently to pull her energy back. Finally, the blue light was gone, and she was encompassed in the silver glow. A stream of darkness left her and was obliterated by the light.

The energy faded as both women dropped to their knees. Serena changed back to normal as Darien and Andrew hurried to check on them. They were both weak, but ecstatic that the plan worked.

"Am I glad you're on our side." Serena said to Jess. "You pack quite a punch even when holding back."

Jess laughed weakly. "Hey you're no cream puff either. That was a lot harder than beating a youma."

Serena tried to get to her feet, but her legs were shaking so bad that she crumpled in Darien's arms.

"You almost overdid it." he growled, lifting her off the floor.

She sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, but it was worth it. Now she has a clear mind and Talon can't play with her emotions."

"How are you, Jess?" Helios asked. "Did the Silver Crystal awaken all of your memories like I thought it would?"

She looked up from where she was still sitting on the floor, leaning heavily against Andrew. "I don't know, maybe. I'm too tired to think right now."

Andrew scooped her up in his arms as he stood. "Maybe we should get these two up to bed." he told Darien. "They're wiped out."

"It's late. I think we could all use a good night's sleep." Helios said.

Darien and Andrew climbed the stairs with their precious burdens in their arms. Darien and Serena disappeared into their room while Andrew followed Aurora to a room for Jess. He felt her shiver as they passed Melody's room and tightened his arms around her.

Setting her on the side of the large bed, he watched as she kicked her shoes off and pulled the hair tie free from her hair, allowing the long caramel mass to cascade around her.

Andrew sat beside her and pulled her to him before kissing her lips lightly. She sighed softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He sat there for a moment, reveling in the feel of her in his arms before whispering. "I guess I should let you get some sleep."

Her arms tightened around him. "Stay with me, please. Just until I fall asleep. I don't want to be alone."

Andrew groaned inwardly at the thought of lying on that bed next to her. Thoughts of what he would like to do to her were running rampant in his head.

'_For crying out loud, get your hormones under control.' _he told himself. _'She's about half dead with exhaustion and you're busy thinking about that delectable body of hers. You can handle being a good boy for a while to make her happy.'_

Yeah, he could do that. Then once she was asleep he could go take a long cold shower. Just like he had been doing since he met her.

As she laid down, he crawled into the bed next to her. He put his arms around her as she snuggled up to his side and rested her head on his chest. She flung an arm across his waist and sighed contentedly.

Andrew almost moaned at the close body contact and was aware that every nerve in his body was alert. This was pure torture.

"Goodnight." Jess whispered. "I love you."

Unable to resist, he placed a lingering kiss on top of her head. "I love you too."

After a few minutes he felt her body relax as sleep overtook her. He knew he should leave, but it felt so good to lie there with her that he couldn't make himself move. Slowly, he sank into unconsciousness as well.

He awoke several hours later. The light coming in through the window showed that it was still dark out, but the shadows were beginning to lighten as day tried to make it's approach.

As he became more aware of his surroundings, he realized that what had woken him was a slight shaking of the bed and the sound of muffled cries coming from the other side of the bed. Turning on his side, he was able to make out Jess's shaking form as she lay with her head buried in a pillow to quiet her sobs.

He quickly rolled over and took her in his arms. "Honey, what's wrong?"

She sniffled as she burrowed into his chest. "I'm sorry." she hiccupped. "I didn't mean to wake you."

He hugged her close. "I don't care about that. Why are you so upset?"

"I had a bad dream." she mumbled. "I dreamt about me and you, now and in the past. My past parents and my ones from this life were in it too. Everyone kept dying over and over and I had to watch, unable to stop it."

"Hey" he said, stroking her hair. "It's okay. It's just a bad dream. I know our past didn't end so well, but we're here now. So are Serena and Darien. I hate that your parents are gone, but I know they're watching over you."

Her arms crept up around his neck. "Thank you. You always know what to say to make me feel better." She kissed him then.

The moment their lips met, electricity sparked between them. All of Andrew's frustrations from earlier came roaring back to life. He ran a hand under her hair to grip her neck, causing her head to lean back so he could deepen the kiss.

He rolled over so that she was pinned beneath him. She moaned into his mouth as his body became flush with hers. Her hands traveled down his back to slide up under his shirt, her fingers trailing over the muscles there.

His other hand was wandering as well. He found the hem of her shirt and caressed the smooth skin of her stomach and ribcage. She broke the kiss and threw her head back on a sigh as he reached the underside of her breast.

Andrew felt a little hesitation and he paused. "Jess, I…"

That was all he got out before she pulled his head back down for another soul shattering kiss. This time, she took control as her tongue came out to lick at his bottom lip. Andrew groaned deeply as he decided to throw caution to the wind and returned the kiss.

When her hands began tugging at his shirt, he lifted slightly so that it could be pulled over his head. He then reached for hers and had it off within seconds. The feel of skin on skin just made the fire blaze hotter as they rolled around the bed, touching and kissing wherever they could.

Jess kissed her way up his neck and moaned in his ear when one of his hands finally covered one of her breasts.

"Make love to me Drew." she whispered. "Help me to forget everything else, if only for a little while."

Andrew's body was more than willing to grant her request, but her words triggered something in his mind. He pulled back and looked down at her where the first beginning light of the new day illuminated her features.

She lay there, breathing rapidly with tear tracks still staining her cheeks. Unlike their earlier encounter, her eyes weren't dazed with passion. Instead they held a wild panicked look in them.

'_What the hell am I doing?'_ he asked himself. _'She's an emotional wreck right now and I'm about to just take advantage of that. She deserves better.'_

He rolled off of her and sat up on the side of the bed, trying to get his own emotions under control. Silence reigned supreme for a moment before he heard the covers rustle behind him. Her slim arms wrapped around him, and it was all he could do not to give in.

"What's the matter?" she breathed into his ear as she nipped at his lobe.

He groaned deep in his chest before reaching up and untangling her arms from around him. "We can't do this right now." He stood and turned to look at her as she kneeled on the bed half dressed, a look of shock and hurt on her face.

"But I thought we had agreed that we were ready to take the next step in our relationship." she whispered. "I love you, and you love me. So why the wait?"

Andrew ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Because I love you too much. I told you that I wanted it to be special, and right now you are all emotional about other things. I would rather wait until we have a calm, peaceful moment."

"But that may never happen." she said softly. "Everything we know may be gone tomorrow. So why not seize the moment while we can?"

Andrew looked into her wide, pleading eyes and almost caved. But he stiffened his resolve. "Don't think like that. We have plenty of time ahead of us. I don't have the best track record of relationships and I want to do this right. I don't want us to do this while you're upset and have you regret it later."

A spark of anger chased the last of the vulnerability from her eyes. "She really did do a number on you, didn't she?"

Andrew looked confused. "Who?"

"Your ex girlfriend." Jess countered.

"Rita has nothing to do with this." he declared.

"Well what am I supposed to think?" Jess asked, her voice rising. "I've thought about it, and the only two conclusions I can come to are that you're scared of entering a physical relationship because you've been burned before, or you just don't want me that way."

He watched as she grabbed her shirt and yanked it back on. He felt the first stirrings of his own temper starting to rise.

"That's not it at all." he said loudly. "You're being unreasonable."

"Unreasonable!" she screeched. "I thought we had a good thing going here, but evidently I was mistaken. I'm just glad I found out now before I fell even more in love with you."

That did it. Andrew strode over to her and took her by the shoulders, giving her a small shake. "You're still not getting it. I do want you. I want you so bad it's like it's eating away at me. But I refuse to take advantage of your emotional state just for my satisfaction."

Her eyes turned cold. "So that's what this is all about. Poor unbalanced little Jess might not be able to handle a meaningful relationship." She jerked away from him. "Well for your information I happen to be thinking clearer now than I probably ever have in either of my lives. So you can go to hell!"

She stomped to the door and threw it open before stepping into the hall and slamming it behind her.

Andrew stood there for all of about two seconds before the tight leash he had on his anger broke and he followed her footsteps. Flinging the door open, he yelled at her retreating back. "Go ahead and run off again you spoiled rotten brat. That seems to be what you're good at."

Jess paused at the top of the stairs and turned back to glare at him. Several seconds passed as they stared each other down, unaware of the audience their loud voices had summoned.

Jess finally seemed to break. Tears glimmered in her deep blue eyes, but her voice was steady when she spoke. "I knew it was too good to be true. I have had people ridicule me all my life. Why should you be any different? As much as I hate being alone, it's probably for the best. If there's one lesson I've learned, it's that sooner or later everybody leaves me."

She turned and ran down the stairs, leaving a stunned Andrew and an open mouthed group of onlookers behind her. Andrew took a half step forward as if to follow her before stopping and turning to go back into the room. The door slammed angrily after him.

* * *

Sailor Pluto stood guard at her post at the time gate staring worriedly at the river of time. A few minutes ago, the timeline had given a huge lurch. Briefly, time had clouded and the future had shifted slightly before settling back into place.

She turned to a large door and passed through it into the brightly lit halls of the crystal palace. Servants moved quickly out of the way for the legendary time guardian as she made her way down the halls in search of either the king or queen.

She swept up the stairs where the private rooms of the royal family were located. Approaching the sitting room door, she knocked quietly and waited for a moment.

"Come in." a voice called, and she pushed the door open.

She entered the comfortably furnished room to find the two monarchs lounging on the overstuffed couch watching a movie. Junk food littered the coffee table in front of them.

Neo Queen Serenity picked up a remote and muted the volume on the T.V. "Trista, this is a surprise. You hardly ever come up here."

Pluto bowed her head. "I wish it could be under happier circumstances, your highness. There was a slight disturbance in the timeline a short while ago. It was very brief, and then everything went back to normal, but I felt a need to make sure that everything was as it should be."

"Is Rini okay?" King Endymion asked anxiously.

"She's fine. She's in Elysian right now with your past selves. She is in no danger." Pluto reassured him.

"Well what do you think caused it?" Serenity asked.

Pluto shook her head. "I'm not sure. My guess is that some event in the past triggered it. It may be nothing huge, for time resumed its normal flow. But I still feel like something's wrong."

At that moment, the doors burst open to reveal Andrew. He held a barely conscious Jess in his arms as she clung weakly to him. Everyone in the room gasped as her form began to flicker in and out of existence.

"Andrew, what happened?" Serenity exclaimed as she rushed over to them.

He shook his head. "I don't know. She came to meet up with me in my office downstairs so we could go have lunch. Suddenly she collapsed and this started. What the hell is going on?"

"Something in the past has changed." Pluto said. "I didn't think it was a big deal, but evidently it's more serious than I thought."

"Not a big deal." Andrew exploded. "My wife is disappearing in front of my eyes and you think it's not a big deal?"

"Calm down Drew." Jess said in a voice that was barely a whisper. "It's not her fault. I feel it too. Something that didn't happen before has occurred."

"Trista" Endymion addressed the scout of time. "Can you find out what's wrong and fix it?"

"Yes, you majesty." she responded. "The fact that time is continuing as it should and Jess hasn't disappeared completely shows that whatever has happened can be fixed. I'll go right now and see what can be done."

She took her leave of them then to return to the time gate and see what had impacted the future so much.

Andrew held his wife closely to him and said softly. "Don't you dare leave me."

Jess gave him a small smile and brushed his cheek with her fingers. "I'm not going anywhere. We've fought too hard to be together, and I'm not giving up now."

* * *

Serena lay with her head on Darien's chest. She listened to his heart that was still thumping rapidly in time to her own as they both tried to catch their breath.

After several hours of much needed rest, they had both awakened in the predawn hours. Want and need welling up inside of them, they had reached for each other in the dim, hazy light that prevailed between the waning night and the coming day.

"Wow" Serena said, still a little breathless. "That was definitely a nice way to wake up."

"Um hm" Darien mumbled, still sounding dazed himself. "Looks like you recovered from all the energy you used last night."

Serena shifted a little and stretched. "Yep, I've never felt better. I just hope Jess has recovered as well as I have. It really put a strain on her to fight against her own energy."

Darien kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure she'll be fine. She seems to bounce back pretty quick. Nothing keeps her down for long."

She giggled. "True. Plus she has Drew to help her."

He groaned and closed his eyes. "I don't want to think about that. If I do, the Endymion side of me may be tempted to break his face."

Serena reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "Aw sweetie, you're so cute when you're jealous."

Darien sputtered. "J..jealous? I'm not jealous. I'm just looking out for her."

Serna smiled as she swept his ebony hair out of his eyes. "All right. Not jealous. Overprotective maybe. She's a big girl now. Even a blind man could see that she and Drew are perfect for each other."

They lay there in companionable silence. Both were on the edge of slipping back into sleep when the sound of raised voices reached their ears.

Serena blinked her eyes open and gave Darien a puzzled look. "What is that?"

Darien shifted out from under her and reached for his jeans. "I don't know, but it sounds like someone is having a fight."

Serena quickly grabbed up his large, long sleeved, button down shirt and threw it on. She cocked her head as one of the voices rose louder. "Is that…Rini?"

Darien listened hard as a second voice also increased its volume. "No, that's Andrew."

"What in the world…?" Serena mused as they both made their way to the door. They opened it and looked out just as a loud bang came from further down the hall. A few seconds later, a clearly angry Jess stomped by them.

They looked across the hall and saw a tousle haired Rini staring out from her room as well. She gave them a questioning look and they both shrugged in reply.

They all turned at the sound of a door opening. Looking, they saw Andrew standing there, wearing nothing but his jeans. His cheeks were mottled red and his hazel eyes were blazing.

"Go ahead and run off again you spoiled rotten brat." he yelled at the girl that was now at the end of the hall at the top of the stairs. "That seems to be what you're good at."

Jess froze for a moment before turning her deadly gaze on him. The silence stretched for several long moments as they just glared at each other.

Serena saw the moment when something changed in Jess's face. It became more sad than angry, and tears sparkled in her expressive eyes.

"I knew it was too good to be true." she said in a deceptively calm voice. "I have had people ridicule me all my life. Why should you be any different? As much as I hate being alone, it's probably for the best. If there's one lesson I've learned, it's that sooner or later everybody leaves me."

She turned and fled down the stairs. Andrew's face held a shocked look and he took a hesitant step forward before his face hardened again. Spinning around, he walked back into the bedroom and slammed the door.

"What just happened?" Serena whispered.

Darien shook his head. "I have no idea."

"Looked like a lover's spat to me." Rini said as she crossed the hall to join them. "Wow, talk about fireworks."

Serena glared at her future daughter. "That's not funny, Rini. I know Jess has a bit of a temper, but Andrew has the patience of a saint. It takes a lot to get him that mad. This could be serious."

"Humph" Rini huffed. "The only thing wrong with those two is pent up sexual frustration. They just need to go ahead and do the deed and get it out of their systems already."

Darien growled. "What do you know about that subject young lady?"

Rini rolled her eyes. "Puh-lease. Look at what I have as role models." She gestured to their state of half dress. "Do you know how embarrassing it is to walk in on your parents making out like a couple of teenagers and then have to listen to them gripe about not having any privacy? It's the pits."

"Okay. We get the picture." Serena said. "I guess we're all awake now. So I say we get dressed and see if we can figure out what's going on."

They all retreated back to their rooms the get dressed. Serena was pulling her shirt on when she heard Andrew's door open and his quick footsteps walking down the hall. Darien opened the door just in time to see his friend descending the stairs.

Serena slid her shoes on and she and Darien left the room. Rini exited hers at the same and they all went downstairs. The smell of coffee lured them to the kitchen. They walked in on a surprising scene.

Helios was backed up against a counter, cringing underneath a death glare from a much taller Andrew as he towered above him.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Andrew ground out between clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists.

Rini flew across the kitchen and pushed her way in between the two men. "What are you doing?" she yelled at Andrew as she pushed him back a step.

"Stay out of this, Rini." he said harshly. "It doesn't concern you."

"The hell it doesn't." she retorted hotly. "I know you and Jess had a fight, but you can't go around taking your anger out on everyone else. Where is she anyway? I want to give her a piece of my mind too. You guys woke me up."

"Ask your little boyfriend there." Andrew snarled. "When I asked all I got was she's gone. Whatever that's supposed to mean."

Rini turned to Helios. "What's going on?"

Helios sighed. "Jess came stomping in here several minutes ago. She was clearly upset and told Aurora that she wanted to go home. We tried to get her to wait for all of you, but she was insistent. So Aurora took her back to Tokyo."

"Well I'm ready to go too." Andrew declared. "I've got to talk to her."

"Let's go then." Serena said. "I don't know what happened between you two, but it needs to be cleared up."

Helios nodded and led them all outside were he flashed them into the living room of Jess's apartment. The moment they appeared, they were met by a furious Aurora.

She stalked up to Andrew and poked him in the chest. "What did you do to her?"

He groaned. "I didn't do anything to her. That's the problem. She took something I said the wrong way and it got out of hand. Where is she?"

Aurora gestured to the hall. "Locked in her room. Good luck getting in there though. She won't even speak to me."

Andrew went down the hall to her door and stood there for a moment. He could hear music thumping behind the door and it seemed to pulse in time with the feelings of despair he was experiencing that he knew were coming from her.

He raised his hand and knocked. "Jess, baby, please let me in."

"Go away!" her muffled voice came through the wood.

He sighed and leaned his forehead against the door. "Please just open the door. I know things went badly earlier, but I just want a chance to explain to you why." He lurched forward as the door was suddenly opened.

Jess stood there. Her face was tear streaked and her eyes puffy and red. She glared up at him with a mixture of heartbreak, anger, and sorrow.

"I think you said everything that you needed to earlier." she said in a broken voice. "Now it's my turn. I love you, but I don't think this is going to work. I quit the arcade. I don't want to see you anymore."

She closed the door in his stunned face.

At that moment in the future, the woman lying on a couch in the Crystal Palace gave a sharp gasp and gripped her husband's hand tightly for a moment before she completely disappeared.

**A/N **So that's it for now. I liked the idea of showing different side of Jess and Andrew. Up until now they have seemed like the perfect star crossed couple, so I thought I needed to shake them up a little bit. I'm sorry if this chapter was a little off to some of you, but it fits in nicely for what's to come. More action in the next chapter, I swear. Remember reviews are very much appreciated. I don't even mind constructive criticism. So hit the button and drop me a line. Later!

Sere-chan


	21. The Broken Princess

**A/N** Hey guys. It's me, your lovable, wonderful Sere-chan, back with the latest installment of this unfolding drama. I got so much feedback on the last chapter. I know some of you were a little upset about me splitting Andrew and Jess up, but what can I say, no relationship is perfect (lol…believe me, I know). So if you were upset with me at the end of the last chapter, I can't pretty much guarantee that you will probably be ready to kill me at the end of this one. I will admit right now, here in front of all of you, I cried buckets while writing this chapter. I guess it's just a case of a writer getting too attached to her story. I don't know. Anyway, hug time! Big, huge, humongous thank you's to:

**snoopykid **

**mardorno81 **

**xo Usako ox **

**tatianaromanov **

**Candice**

**S dot Serenity**

**amaramichelle **

**JmacKarla**

**CharmedSerenity3**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**ange de l'aube**

**SailorMercuryROCKS**

**Lesalanna**

**missmyrtlemay **

**JpJr**

**Swinkinator**

**Lennabear**

Whew, what a list, but I love it. I want you guys to know that I appreciate all of you very much. I try to reply personally to all of my reviews and messages whenever I can, but sadly I seldom have the time. So even if you don't hear from me, know that all of you have a special place in my heart. I want to take the opportunity to say this. I am constantly flooded with messages asking me things like 'What is my inspiration?' or 'How do I come up with characters and ideas?' I feel bad that I don't get to respond to them in a timely manner, and I feel like I am repeating myself a lot. So I've decided to clear my inbox and start over fresh. If you have a question for me, send them in. I am going to make a Q&A section on my profile and post it there for all to see.

Okay, wow…I'm just rambling aren't I? I'm shutting up now.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 21

The Broken Princess

Talon rubbed a tired hand over his bloodshot eyes. He couldn't believe that his perfect plan was beginning to fall to pieces right in front of his eyes. It had all seemed so simple before, get the girl, get the power. Nothing could possibly go wrong with that, right?

'_WRONG!'_ his mind screamed at him. The last twenty-four hours had shown him that even the most well thought out plans could crumble into dust in the blink of an eye.

He had felt the princess's energy reenter this world several hours ago. When he had tried to reach out to her through the dark energy that they shared, his worst fears had been confirmed. The bond between them had disappeared. His plan had been found out and the dark energy had been banished from her mind.

But for some reason he couldn't really get upset about it. If anything, it made him admire her fortitude all the more. She seemed to jump right over any obstacle that was thrown in her path.

He had had time to think long and hard during the time that she had been gone, and for the first time in over a thousand years, he was beginning to feel doubt. He wondered if his grand scheme to take over the universe was even possible. Sometimes he wondered if had ever been his dream to begin with.

**_Flashback_**

Sixteen-year-old Talon knelt before the fire inside the hut that belonged to the leader of his clan. He felt a hand squeeze his as he looked over into a young Beryl's bright red brown eyes. She gave him a smile before turning her attention back to the man that sat opposite them.

He was an older man, but his age was impossible to determine. While his face was lined with wrinkles, his body was as broad and powerful as a young man. Sharp, piercing yellow eyes stared at the two young people in front of him.

"Last night I had a premonition." he told them in his deep voice. "It spoke of a power that will be born if there is ever an alliance between the royal family of the earth and that of the moon. This would be a power beyond all powers, capable of either protecting the world from danger, or if used unwisely, destroying it."

"What does this mean, father?" Beryl asked.

"The actual voice in my vision said this,_ 'When Lunar Silver and Terran Gold unite, a power greater than any ever known will be born. This will either lead to the salvation of the galaxy, or its ultimate destruction.' _I am positive that this speaks of the betrothal of our prince to the heiress of the moon." he told them.

They thought carefully about what he had just said. They all knew that the Silver Millennium was powerful, and the moon was the supreme power that ruled it all. Earth was the last remaining planet in the solar system to not swear allegiance to the moon queen, but they had been allowed to live in peace. Whether this was due to the fact that the royal family of earth commanded a power as great as the moon's, or the lifelong friendship between Queen Althea and Queen Serenity, no one knew. It had still been quite a surprise when the king and queen had announced years ago their intentions of wedding their only son and heir, Prince Endymion, to the moon princess, Serenity.

It had caused quite a stir for a while, and people had been expecting for Earth to join the Silver Millennium after the announcement. But to everyone's relief, the Earth still had its independence, free of being governed by others. There was no hostility felt toward the members of the Silver Millennium, but the people of earth feared the amount of power they controlled and preferred their own royal family to be the only reigning voice.

"So this marriage must not be allowed to take place." Beryl said.

The man nodded. "I agree. I fear any child born of their union could spell disaster for us all."

"Wait a minute." Talon interrupted. "You said your vision also spoke of salvation, how do you know you're not condemning us to a worse fate if the prince and princess don't marry."

The man snorted. "Don't be daft boy. Endymion and Serenity are the heirs of two of the most powerful kingdoms in the universe. I don't see them wedding and not joining them together. The moment they say 'I do' the earth will be forced into joining the Silver Millennium. Whatever child they have will one day become the ruler. Do you want to take the chance of this world of freedom being snuffed out because a possible tyrannical leader that's existence could have been prevented?"

"I believe we should make this prophecy known." Beryl announced. "The people always set a great store by what we have to say, and we have never steered them wrong. If they think that this union could pose a threat, they will make their voices known."

"Yes" the leader answered. "That would be the wisest course of action. We must protect our freedom and our way of life. After all, you two will lead our clan after I am gone."

Talon and Beryl both gasped at his proclamation.

"B..but, what about Bastian?" Beryl stammered.

The man sighed. "Your brother is very powerful, and he could be an excellent leader, but he has a streak of cruelty in him that overshadows everything he does. The stories of his evil ways have reached my ears. I fear he would be the downfall of our people. So I have decided that you and Talon will be my successors."

Beryl jumped up and ran around the fire to throw herself into the man's arms. "Thank you father. I'll make you proud, I promise."

"So daddy's little girl gets her way once again." a voice sneered as Bastian entered the hut. "Not that I'm surprised. Precious little Beryl always gets what she wants."

"Shut up, Bastian." Beryl retorted. "What poor woman's bed are you crawling out of now? Don't you ever get tired of spending your night's doing nothing but satisfying your perverted habits by abusing all of those women?"

Bastian gave a cold laugh. "It's not abuse if they enjoy it. Sure, they may fight in the beginning, but by the end they're screaming in pleasure, not pain."

The big man shook his head. "I honestly don't know where I went wrong with you. Our people have always tried to live peacefully. But you seem to want to cause as much discord as possible."

Bastian flung himself down on a cushion. "Oh father, there's nothing wrong with enjoying the pleasures life has to offer. Sometimes you need to rock the boat. Take this situation with the moon kingdom for example. Yeah, you can break up the engagement of the prince and princess, but will that really solve the problem? I think they all need to be destroyed. They sit up there wielding all of their power, watching over all of us like they are some sort of gods, it's not right. Mark my words, some day they will try to take us over, and then there will be hell to pay."

Beryl studied her brother thoughtfully. "You may have a point. I have seen the moon royals when they have visited and they definitely exude an aura of arrogance. Even that little twit princess of theirs walks around like she is master of all she surveys. Such a pale, weak little thing, she is completely unsuitable for our prince. Maybe they should be eliminated."

"Careful sis" Bastian chuckled. "You sound like you're jealous or something. Perhaps you have set your sights on having Endymion for yourself?"

Beryl gasped and blushed wildly. "Don't be ridiculous, he's just a boy. But he has potential to be a great king and he deserves to have a proper queen at his side, not that moon brat. Besides, I've already found the one I want to spend my life with."

She walked over to Talon and looped her arm through his before kissing his lips gently. Talon looked down into her burning eyes and felt a surge of love for the stunning red head. But behind the bright emotion shining in her eyes, he saw something else. Something cold and calculating lurked deep within the red brown depths and made him shiver.

**_End Flashback_**

Talon shook himself as his thoughts returned to the present. That day had been the beginning of the end. He wasn't sure exactly when the focus had turned from breaking Serenity and Endymion's engagement to plotting the destruction of the Silver Millennium, but at some point Beryl had roped him into helping her. Unable to deny her anything, he had followed right along with her.

His thoughts once again returned to the reincarnation of the princess. Even though she clung to the shadows that surrounded her, she was a bright light that shown with her passion for life. She seemed incapable of committing any evil act, and certainly didn't seem to be any threat to this world.

"Maybe I'm wrong." he whispered to himself. "Maybe I should leave her alone to live her own life."

A soft knock sounded from the door before it eased open, admitting a petite woman with long brown hair and soft brown eyes. Very few members of their clan had survived the war that destroyed the earth and the moon kingdoms, but the one's that did had taken refuge with Talon in this underground lair.

"What is it, Anya?" he asked.

She bowed low before him. "Pardon my intrusion my lord, but I felt that you needed to know something."

He surveyed the woman in front of him. "Please, speak freely."

She raised her head to look at him. "There have been mutterings among the youma for the last few days. Bastian has been spending an unusual amount of time with some of them, holding private meetings and such. There have been whispers of some of them changing their allegiance to him. Then a short while ago, a large group of them left with him for the surface."

Talon stood quickly from his chair. "What!"

She nodded quickly. "I overheard part of a conversation between him and the old one. I think they've decided to go after the princess themselves."

The words had barely registered in Talon's head before he stormed from the room. He stalked down the hall, scattering the terrified youma in his path until he reached a large door. Without pausing, he flung it open.

"What have you done?" he bellowed at the shapeless mist.

"I grow tired of waiting for you." the voice said evenly. "Since you seem to be reluctant to take the princess yourself, I decided to give Bastian a shot."

Talon growled deep in his throat. "How could you? You know what he is capable of, what he will do to her."

"It's all inconsequential now." the voice said menacingly. "Don't worry, you can still have the girl once we have taken what we want from her."

A blind fury gripped Talon as he turned and swiftly left, his mind racing as he thought about how to stop this new predicament.

* * *

Andrew let out a groan as he rolled over and pulled a pillow over his head. He had a splitting headache and his mouth felt like cotton. He desperately reached out for sleep, hoping to escape into it once more and leave reality behind, but the voices wouldn't let him.

"Good grief, what was he thinking? Is he deliberately trying to kill himself?"

"I don't know. I've never seen him like this before."

"Well who wants the honors of waking sleeping beauty up?"

"I'll do it."

The pillow was ripped off his head, and a moment later his face was hit with a giant splash of ice cold water. His eyes flew open as he sat up sputtering. A grinning Rini stood over him with a now empty glass in her hand.

"He's awake." she said gleefully.

"What the hell?" he yelled. That made the pounding in his head worse and he fell back with a pained moan.

After the pain settled to a low throbbing, he cracked his eyes open again to direct a glare at the three people that had invaded his apartment.

"What are you doing here?" he asked them.

Darien held his hands up. "Don't look at me, it was their idea." he said, gesturing to the other two.

"Oh yeah, blame us." Serena snorted. "I didn't exactly twist your arm to get you to use your key to let us in, did I?"

She walked over to Andrew and handed him a couple of pills and a glass of water. "Here, this will make you feel better."

"Thanks" he mumbled, taking the glass and downing the pills with the entire contents in three quick gulps. "So what are you doing here?"

"We've come to talk some sense through that thick skull of yours." Rini told him with a glare.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, bewildered.

Rini rolled her eyes. "Duh, I'm talking about you and your girlfriend Einstein, and the fight you two had."

Andrew pushed himself off the couch. "Ex-girlfriend. She broke up with me, remember?" He pushed by them and headed for the bedroom, intending to lock them out. He went to close the door when a small foot was suddenly in the way.

Serena pushed the door open and turned a hard stare on him. He took a step backward at the raging emotions in her eyes. He had never seen this look on her face before, and it was kind of frightening.

"Stop with the pity party already." she said harshly. "I've had just about all of the sob stories I can handle tonight. I just spent the last two and a half hours listening to Jess moan and groan, I don't need it from you too."

His head snapped up. "You got to talk to her?"

Serena nodded. "It took some convincing, but she finally let me in."

Rini barked out a laugh. "She did not. Tell him the truth. You transformed into Sailor Moon and jumped up onto her balcony and went in that way after she refused to let you in."

Serena gave an exasperated sigh. "Whatever. It worked, didn't it? Anyway, I found her in a state very similar to yours, minus all the beer bottles. It took me a while to get through to her, but eventually the whole story came out."

Andrew winced. "The whole story?"

Serena grinned with a nod. "Yep. And while I admire your noble intentions, I can't help but think how thick you are. Do you know how rejected she feels right now?"

He cringed. He didn't need Serena to tell him, he had felt it in those few moments when had stood in the doorway to her bedroom. Her pain had cut through him like a knife as he stared into those tortured eyes. All he had wanted was to take her in his arms and make her smile again, but she had shattered his heart along with her own as she had spoken those quiet words.

_'I love you, but I don't think this is going to work. I quit the arcade. I don't want to see you anymore.' _

He groaned and leaned against the wall. "Doesn't she see that I am just looking out for her? I don't want to screw this relationship up."

Serena took his hand in hers. "She knows that, Drew. She understands where you are coming from, but she loves you desperately. And when you refuse to take that next step, she feels like you are rejecting her."

Andrew shook his head. "So are you saying I should just go ahead and sleep with her no matter how out of control her emotions are?"

Darien growled. "Absolutely not. I think you're doing the right thing."

Serena glared at him. "I don't think we need any help from your corner. I believe I remember having a very similar conversation with you once."

Darien blushed and looked away. "That was different. You were only sixteen."

"My age had nothing to do with it." Serena scoffed. "You went on about me being too upset emotionally to start a physical relationship. Every time I thought we were about to deepen our relationship, you would pull back. It was very frustrating."

Darien's deep blue eyes narrowed on her. "You had just gone through a major battle alone. I had just come back after being technically dead for almost a year. You were an emotional wreck, so at the time I didn't think it was the wisest course of action to start sleeping with you. You might have regretted it later and hated me for taking advantage of you at a weak moment."

Serena shook her head. "But you eventually gave in, and I've never regretted it for a moment. You guys need to get rid of some of your chivalrous ideas and face reality."

Andrew just stared at her sadly. "It's too late now. She doesn't want to see me anymore. I'm sure she probably hates me anyway, not that I blame her. I still can't believe that I yelled at her or that I called her a spoiled rotten brat. She is one of the most giving and loving people in the world, and I just threw it all in her face."

Rini sighed. "Okay, so you both lost your temper. That doesn't mean that you can't make up. Trust me, I've seen it many times in my life." She turned her gaze to Serena and Darien, who turned a little red and looked away.

"The bottom line is you two need to talk." Serena said. "I tried to get her to come over here, but she's too ashamed about some of the things she said. She said you probably wouldn't want to see her anyway."

Andrew let out a tired sounding chuckle. "That's so far from the truth that it isn't even funny. I would have stayed outside her door if I had thought for a moment she would have let me in. But I felt how much my presence was hurting her, so I left. I could still feel her pain though along with my own. So I thought if I drank enough, it would go away."

"Yeah I found out the hard way that that doesn't work." Darien said with a grin. "When I broke up with Serena over those dreams years ago, I tried that approach. I just ended up feeling more miserable and having a wonderful hangover."

"So what are you going to do, Romeo?" Rini asked.

Andrew grinned at her. "First I'm going to go shower and make myself feel human again. Then I'm going to go see about getting my girl back."

"All right!" Rini cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

Andrew disappeared into the bathroom and emerged again barely ten minutes later looking much more like himself. His sandy blonde hair was still damp and hung into his hazel eyes, but he was dressed in fresh jeans and a button down shirt. He looked surprised to see his guests still in his living room.

He laughed a little. "Sticking around to make sure I don't chicken out?"

Serena joined in his laughter. "Not at all. We're about to head back to Darien's place. Since you'll be heading in the same direction, we just thought we'd walk with you."

Feeling suddenly excited at the prospect of soon having Jess back in his arms, Andrew quickly tied his shoes and grabbed his keys. "Well I'm ready. Let's go."

Laughingly, they all left the apartment and soon found their way onto one of the paths that led through the park. They kept the conversation light and were laughing quietly among themselves when a shrill scream sounded not too far away before being abruptly cut off.

Darien's head snapped up. "What was that?"

" It sounded like a woman screaming." Rini said.

"Maybe we should check it out." Andrew replied.

Serena shook her head. "You go on to Jess's. We'll take a look and see what it is. If it's important, we'll call everyone in."

"But…" Andrew began before abruptly cutting himself off. He began rubbing his chest almost absently and his eyes held a far away daze.

"Drew, what's wrong?" Serena asked in concern.

He blinked several times to bring his eyes back into focus. "I don't know. I just feel so weird all of a sudden. Right when we heard that scream, I felt scared to death for a second, now it feels like a burning physical pain."

His eyes suddenly widened and raw panic flew across his features. "Oh shit!" he exclaimed before taking off in the direction that the scream had come from.

Darien, Serena, and Rini all ran quickly after him. They hadn't gone far when they all pulled up short at the sight in front of them.

There were at least fifteen youma in the large area where two paths crossed. They were all grouped in a large circle around a man with blazing red hair. He wore a cruel smirk on his face as he yanked roughly on the end of a snakelike black whip he held in his hand.

The whip sparked and crackled as it pulsated with dark energy. He let out an evil cackle as he gave it another vicious tug. There was a sound like someone desperately gasping for breath.

"Well, well" he muttered in malicious glee. "It seems that it wasn't as hard to track you down as I thought it was going to be. I figured I would have to draw you out, but instead you practically walked right into me. Thank you, princess,"

The youma shifted slightly, letting Serena, Darien, Rini, and Andrew see the scene that was playing out in the center of the circle. While the man held one end of the whip in his hand, the other end was wrapped tightly around the neck of a young woman who was on her knees on the ground in front of him.

The long, dark blonde braid dangling down her back was a dead giveaway to her identity without any of them having to see her face.

"Oh god, Jess." Andrew moaned. He was about to go charging out there, but Darien and Serena each grabbed an arm and hauled him back several yards until they were concealed deep in the surrounding trees.

"Get a hold of yourself." Darien growled at him harshly. "You can't save her by rushing in blindly."

Andrew struggled against his confining grip. "Let go of me, Darien. I've got to go to her. I can't leave her out there alone." His body was beginning to glow with a bright copper colored light.

"As if we would leave her to face this alone." Serena snapped as she flipped open her communicator and pressed a button. "This is Moon, emergency at the park. I need everyone here, and I mean now." Several voices filtered back with an affirmative answer before she closed it again and pulled out her transformation broach.

"Moon Eternal Power" she called out. A flash of light later, Sailor Moon stood in Serena's place.

"Crescent Moon Power" Rini cried as she held up her own broach and transformed in Sailor Crescent Moon.

Through his struggles against Darien, Andrew felt a sudden rush of power as his friend transformed into Tuxedo Mask.

Tuxedo Mask loosened his hold slightly on him. "Tap into your power Andrew. You can force your transformation if you concentrate hard enough, and you need to transform. You can't go out there like this."

Andrew took several deep breaths as he reached deep inside for that energy that hummed through the blood in his veins. He grabbed a hold of it and pictured himself transforming. Closing his eyes tightly, he allowed the power to rush through him. Once the tingling sensation died down, he opened his eyes to find them covered by the dark glasses that somehow he could see through perfectly, even in the night. The long black coat that covered the black jeans and shirt he wore fell to his calves.

He jerked away from Tuxedo Mask with a glare. "Okay, I transformed. Can we go now."

"We should wait for the others." Sailor Moon cautioned.

A choked half scream came from the other side of the trees.

"The hell with that." Andrew growled as he ran back in the direction they had come.

"Damn it." Tuxedo Mask muttered.

"What an idiot." Crescent Moon said with a shake of her head.

Sailor Moon hurried after him, calling over her shoulder, "Come on. We can't let him go alone. Maybe we can hold things for a few minutes until the others get here."

* * *

Jess sighed as she rolled over and looked at the glowing red numbers on the clock next to her bed, 11:30 pm. It had been about an hour since Serena had left. She had been a little offended at first when Sailor Moon had come in uninvited through her balcony door, but she had to admit that she felt better now that she had talked with her.

She had shared her doubts and fears with Serena, who in turned had told her about some of the trials and tribulations her and Darien's relationship had faced. Ironically, they had once been in a similar situation.

"So what did you do?" she had asked Serena. "How did you finally get him to look past all the emotional issues and see that you were ready for the next step?"

Serena had giggled. "Easy. I seduced him. One thing you have to remember about guys is under all of those noble intentions, they are ultimately ruled by their hormones. I went and bought some slinky, revealing black lingerie and snuck into his apartment while he was out. He came home to find me posed in the center of his bed. Oh he tried to act all chivalrous, but I pushed him down on the bed and held him down until he was as crazy as I was. The rest was history."

Jess sighed again a she sat up and pulled her knees up to her chest. Maybe that's what she should do. Seduce Andrew so good and proper that he would never think about turning her away ever again.

She shook her head sadly. No, that probably wouldn't work. After the way she had spoken to him earlier, she was pretty sure that he wouldn't want to have anything to do with her anymore. She had nobody to blame but herself. Once again she had let her temper rule her actions, and she had lost the best thing to ever come into her life because of it.

She wanted badly to cry, but her eyes remained dry. She had finally cried herself out it seemed. But it didn't stop her breath from catching on repressed sobs. She clicked on a small lamp next to her and picked up a framed picture from the table.

"Mom, Dad, what do I do now?" she whispered to the couple in the photo. The tall man with light blonde hair and warm brown eyes smiled broadly at her as he stood with his arms around the tall, slender brunette with a twinkling, soft green gaze. She had taken this picture of them only a few weeks before the tragic accident that had taken their lives and it had captured them the way she always remembered them.

'_Remember sweetheart, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.' _her mother's voice sang softly through her head.

She heard her father's booming laughter. _'Hey, you're an Alexander. And we Alexander's always fight for what we want. Don't let anyone beat you down. Not even yourself.'_

They were right. She couldn't let things go on like this. She knew what she wanted. She wanted Andrew. She had been stupid to let him go the way she did. He may not want to see her, but she had to try anyway.

She jumped from the bed and quickly crossed the hall to the bathroom. One look in the mirror confirmed her suspicions. She looked worse than death. Her face was all red and puffy and her eyes were swollen. Her long hair was a snarled mess around her.

"Well I won't get him back looking like this." she muttered to her reflection. She reached for a brush and began the job of tackling the tangles in her hair.

Several minutes later, she observed her image once more with a critical eye. Her wild mop was now confined in its customary french braid and her face looked a little less terrifying now that she had bathed it in cold water and strategically applied some light make up.

"I guess that's as good as it's going to get." she said, leaving the bathroom and returning to her room to change clothes. Soon she was dressed in a favorite pair of worn jeans and a soft knit top that was a little big on her. Not the most appealing outfit in the world, but she wanted to be comfortable.

Besides, she thought with a smirk as she gave her shoulder a twitch, causing the loose neckline to slip, baring her shoulder, this outfit could have some possibilities.

Dawn and Nebula were nowhere to be seen, so it was easy for her to slip out of the apartment unnoticed. Thank goodness for small favors. She didn't feel like facing them at the moment. She would talk to them later. Hopefully by then she and Andrew would have resolved their differences and it would be a moot point.

Feeling lighter than she had all day, she was practically skipping and she hummed a little tune under her breath as she entered the park. She refused to let herself think of Andrew possibly turning her away. She knew deep down that he loved her as much as she loved him. They would get over this little misunderstanding and move on.

Enjoying the feel of the refreshing evening air, she closed her eyes for a moment and reveled in its sweetness. With a giggle she spun around, only to collide with another body.

Her eyes flew open and she looked at the man she had crashed into. He was tall with unusually bright red hair and odd red brown eyes.

"I'm so sorry." she exclaimed quickly. "I should have watched where I was going. I certainly didn't mean to run into you like that."

The grin he turned on her sent shivers down her spine. "That quite all right. It's not everyday that such a tempting young woman as yourself falls into my path."

Warning bells began going off in her head. There was something definitely not right with this guy. "Well, I must be going. I truly am sorry for that little incident." She turned to leave, but was stopped when he suddenly grabbed her wrist in a tight grip.

"What's the hurry, princess?" he sneered. "We haven't even got to know each other yet. I think you should come with me so we can become better acquainted."

At that moment, several youma began appearing from the shadows of the trees. Jess realized then that she had walked right into a trap. She reached under her shirt for her pendant that hung from a chain around her neck. This was what held her transformation powers.

"You don't want to mess with me." she growled at him.

Before she could grasp the pendant, he reached up with his free hand and grabbed the slender gold chain that encircled her neck. With a flick of his wrist, he snapped it and tossed it away.

"I don't think Sailor Shadow is needed here tonight." he said smugly.

Reacting on pure instinct, she drew back a fist and sent in slamming into his face. His head jerked to the side, but he didn't release his hold on her.

He looked back at her, his eyes shining with pure evil. His deep chuckle almost made her heart stop. "So you like to play rough. I like that. It makes the challenge of taming you all the more enjoyable."

What happened next passed so quickly that Jess never saw it coming. Her cheek exploded in pain as backhanded her, sending her tumbling to the ground. After a stunned moment, she glared at him. How dare he? She may not be able to transform, but she was going to show this son of a bitch that she was far from helpless. She began calling on the power of her crystal shard to give her the strength she needed. It wouldn't be as powerful as it would be if she was in her scout form and it would drain her quickly, but she had no other choice.

Bastian narrowed his eyes on the girl as she began to glow blue. A whip appeared in his hands, and with a flick of his wrist, he had it wrapped around her throat. The blue energy faded as the dark energy began crackling up and down the length of the whip. She let out a short scream as the energy hit her like raw electricity.

"Now, now princess." he drawled in a chastising tone. "No sense in the light show. As long as I have you held in place by my whip, your powers can't touch me."

Jess grabbed frantically at the thin leather that was cutting into the skin of her neck and constricting her airway. Tears blurred her vision as she struggled to take in what air she could. She wondered briefly if Andrew could sense that she was in trouble. And if he did, would he do anything about it?

Bastian gave a few vicious tugs on the whip, causing it to cut deeper into her skin. Through the haze of pain, she could feel blood beginning to trickle down her neck and soak into her shirt.

He pulled hard on the whip, causing her to fall forward onto her hands and growled. "I want you to scream for mercy. If you are convincing enough, I may give it to you. That would be a lot more than what your family showed to mine. Your bitch of a grandmother sealed my sister away for a thousand years only to have your whore mother destroy her when she finally broke free of the spell."

Jess stared at the ground beneath her. _'Somebody, please help me.' _she cried inwardly, but she raised defiant eyes to her tormentor, refusing to show him any weakness.

He threw back his head and laughed. "Such fire. I've seen many people crack under much less than what you have endured. No wonder Talon has been so entranced by you. Let's see how long you can keep up this façade."

He rose straight up into the air, dragging her with him. She let out a strangled shriek as she was lifted off the ground to dangle like a fish on a line about ten feet in the air. The extra tension blocked her air supply completely and her vision began to blur around the edges. She was about to succumb to the darkness when a sudden blast of copper colored energy severed the whip and she went tumbling toward the ground.

Her dazed mind realized that she was falling, but she didn't care. She just patiently waited for her body to slam into the ground, but it never happened. One minute the air was rushing by her, the next, warm, familiar arms wrapped around her tightly.

She unconsciously snuggled into the firm chest under her cheek. "Drew" she whimpered.

"Shh" a breath whispered against her ear. "I've got you now. You're safe."

Other voices began to penetrate her foggy brain.

"Oh my god, is she okay?" she heard Serena ask in concern.

Rini exclaimed in horror. "Holy crap, look at what that asshole did to her neck."

Jess heard the tearing of fabric and flinched when she felt something touch the torn skin of her neck. She couldn't stop the pained moan that escaped her lips.

"Jess" she heard a voice calling to her. "Can you hear me? It's Darien. Come on, open your eyes."

She forced her heavy lids to open, but everything was one huge blur. She blinked several times, trying to bring things into focus. Finally the blur began to separate into different forms.

Tuxedo Mask was kneeling over her, pressing a strip of cloth that he had torn from his cape to her ravaged neck. Sailor Moon and Sailor Crescent Moon hovered anxiously behind him.

But she had eyes for only one person. The one who was still holding her so tenderly in his arms. With a sob, she threw her arms around his neck and clung to him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she kept crying over and over.

Andrew hugged her close, but kept the touch light. He didn't know what other injuries she had, and was afraid of hurting her. "Hush" he told her softly. "I'm sorry too. It's in the past."

She pulled back to look at him. Wanting to see his eyes, she pulled the dark glasses from his face. "I was so scared." she whispered. "I thought I was going to die and not be able to tell you how sorry I was."

Bastian's sharp cold voice rang through the trees. "Not fair princess. I wasn't through playing with you yet. I never would have pegged you for the damsel in distress type that needed someone to swoop in and save you."

Jess shivered and shrank back into Andrew's embrace at the sound of his mocking voice. Andrew tightened his arms around her and whispered to the others, "Maybe we should get out of here while we can."

Bastian's next words, however, put a stop to that idea. "I'll give you two minutes princess. If you don't show yourself, I'll let my youma loose to wreck havoc on the city. Let's see if you are willing to risk the lives of innocents to save your own."

Jess disentangled herself from Andrew's arms and staggered to her feet. Andrew immediately jumped up and put a supporting arm around her waist.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

She turned firm eyes on him. "I can't let him destroy the city because I'm hiding from him, Drew. I don't want that blood on my hands."

"Well at least transform before you face the bastard." Rini said.

Jess reached up to where her necklace usually hung. "I can't." she told them. "He threw away my transformation pendant. Without it, I can't turn into Sailor Shadow."

The sound of running footsteps reached them and Sailor Moon sighed in relief. "Here comes backup."

The inner scouts and generals joined them a few seconds later, followed almost immediately by the outer scouts, minus Sailor Pluto. They were quickly brought up to speed on the situation.

"Fifteen seconds left, princess." Bastian's voice called.

"I have to go out there." Jess demanded.

The entire group surrounded her. With her in the center, they all walked out to face this new assailant and his youma.

A mock pout appeared on his face. "So you felt like you needed to bring all of your friends with you to face me? I'm disappointed."

Jess glared at him. "Why not? You have your backup, now I have mine."

He studied her appraisingly. "Touché." He licked his lips suggestively. "I was hoping to have a little more alone time with you first. But I guess that will have to wait until later."

He snapped his fingers and ordered the youma, "Kill them all, but leave the princess. She's mine."

The youma began moving in and the scouts and generals took defensive stances. Jess was shoved behind Andrew, Sailor Moon, and Tuxedo Mask just as the first attacks began flying. In a matter of moments, the air was thick the sounds of attacks being called and the sounds of grunts and groans as fists made contact.

It didn't take long before their close-knit group began breaking apart and spreading out. Soon Andrew and Jess were separated from the others.

A youma came flying at them from the right. Without thinking, Jess called forth a ball of energy and shot it at the youma. It crumbled to dust mere feet from them. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask had each succeeded in taking out a youma, Crescent Moon let out a yell of triumph as the one she was fighting exploded seconds later.

Attacks of yellow and aqua merged together as Uranus and Neptune combined their power to take out a fifth one, followed shortly thereafter by a combined attack from Venus and Jupiter, with a little help from Kunzite and Nephrite, that destroyed a sixth one. After seeing the effects of the combined attacks, Mars and Mercury joined forces, along with Jadeite and Zoicite, to take down the one they were facing.

Bastian fumed as he saw half of his forces destroyed within seconds. The remaining youma began backing away from the heroes warily.

"You idiots." Bastian raged. "They're not invincible. You can take them." He began pulsing with dark energy that spread quickly to the youma, enhancing their destructive powers.

With this energy boost, the youma began a fresh wave of attacks, moving faster and attacking stronger than they had before. This time, the scouts, generals, and Tuxedo Mask had to go on the defensive. One by one, the heroes began falling under the onslaught.

One of the youma rushed at Andrew and Jess. Andrew shoved Jess out of the way quickly before the youma slammed into him, sending him crashing to the ground.

Jess looked around helplessly at her friends. Her energy was seriously low from what she had already expended, and she wasn't sure how much more she could do. A sudden glimmer of gold caught her eye, and she turned to see her necklace with the tear shaped sapphire laying about twenty feet away, glistening in the moonlight.

She ran quickly and dived for the pendant. Just as her fingers closed around it, a heavy boot came crashing down on her wrist, pinning it to the ground.

Jess's agonized scream echoed through the night as she felt the bones snap. Fresh waves of pain washed over her and the threat of unconsciousness returned. Fighting down a sudden feeling of nausea, she looked up at Bastian through tear bright eyes.

He grinned evilly at her. "That's right precious, scream for me. It's like sweet music to my ears. Your parents gave you the right name. Melody, it suits you."

He grabbed her by the hair and drug her up to her feet. He studied her intently for a moment. "Oh yes, I'm going to enjoy this." Then he kissed her roughly.

Jess nearly gagged when his tongue intruded into her mouth. She forgot her pain for a moment as her survival instincts kicked in. She bit down hard on the offending appendage and brought her knee up swiftly to connect with his groin.

Bastian pulled back with a hiss. "You bitch!" he screamed as he threw her back down to the ground. "I'll make you pay for that." he kicked her hard in the ribs.

A gasp left her as she heard her ribs crack. Ready to give up the fight, she turned her head where she could see Andrew lying unmoving on the ground. "I guess we don't get our happy ending this time either." she whispered. "I love you."

She gave in to the darkness then, not noticing the way Andrew's body twitched with her departing words.

* * *

Andrew slowly felt consciousness returning to his body. He was very disoriented and couldn't tell where he was. He felt hard ground underneath him and the cool night air on his face. He had an anxious feeling. Something was telling him that it was important for him to wake up immediately.

"You bitch! I'll make you pay for that." a loud voice penetrated through the haze surrounding him. He heard a low thud and a sharp gasp.

'_I love you.'_ a voice whispered in his head.

"_Jess'_ That thought had him jolting back to life. Sitting up he looked around. Everyone was sprawled out on the ground with the youma prowling around them like a pack of hungry wolves. The others were starting to move around as well as they began recovering from the attacks from the suped up youma.

Andrew began to panic when he didn't see Jess anywhere. He was looking to make sure he hadn't missed her among his other friends, when he heard a voice growl behind him, "So the mighty, all powerful princess has fallen. This was far too easy."

Turning to look behind him, his blood froze in his veins. Jess's battered and bruised body lay unmoving at the feet of the red headed man. The man chuckled darkly as he reached down and grabbed her, throwing her limp form over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Jess!" Andrew yelled, trying to climb to his feet.

His outburst seemed to rouse the others as bodies began moving and a few heads raised to see what was going on. The youma began closing in once more as they saw their prey awakening once more.

Gasps were heard as a sudden burst of power flooded the area, disintegrating the youma where they stood. A black-cloaked figure appeared from the shadows of the trees.

"Talon" just about everyone said in a hiss.

The red headed man laughed. "Looks like you're not any more popular around here than I am, Talon. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Talon lowered the hood of his robe and leveled his jet-black glare on the man. "What the hell do you think you're doing Bastian?"

Bastian returned his glare with one of his own. "I'm only doing what you were too weak to do. You could have taken her a long time ago, but you insisted on dragging it out, playing your little games with her. The rest of us are done waiting for you. We have a mission to accomplish, and evidently you are not the one for the job."

Talon began stalking forward toward him. "It was never my intention to take her by force. I had hoped that in time, she would have come to me willingly. The crystal will work best in her hands, and then only if she is in control of her own mind."

Bastian sneered at him. "We don't care about that anymore. We just want her power. Even without her, whoever holds the crystal will be powerful enough to rule the universe. We only need her to stay alive long enough to get the crystal, then she will become expendable."

Everyone had gotten shakily to their feet as this exchange had taken place and had regrouped. They let out bursts of outrage at his proclamation.

"Over my dead body." Andrew yelled above the others. He had to be held back by both Tuxedo Mask and Kunzite to keep from charging him.

Those reddish brown eyes zeroed in on him. "That can be arranged. Let's see if you last as long as your little girlfriend did. She managed to put up a fight, no matter how much pain I inflicted on her." He ran a hand up one of Jess's dangling legs to her shapely rear. "Maybe I'll give her a try once she wakes up. I would like to see what it is about her that bewitches men so easily."

In a lightning fast move, Talon had closed in on Bastian and wrapped a hand around the man's throat. The red head gave a howl as dark energy ripped through his body. His hold on Jess loosened, and she began to slip off his shoulder. Talon reached out with his free arm and caught her before she could fall to the ground. He let out a burst of energy that sent Bastian flying hard into a nearby tree before he crumpled up at the base.

Talon turned with Jess in his arms and began approaching the others. They all took defensive stances, not sure what to expect from the sorcerer. They were all surprised when Talon handed Jess's limp body to Andrew.

"Get her out of here." he told them sternly. "Take her to Elysian if you have to. Just get her as far away from him as you can."

They all stared in shock, speechless at this new turn of events.

"Why are you helping us?" Sailor Moon asked, finally finding her voice.

He gave her a brief smile before looking back down at Jess and brushing a piece of hair away from her bruised cheek. "I was wrong." he stated simply. "The more I watched her, the more I realized that she deserves to live her life the way she wants, not being coveted because of her power. She helped me to see the light. Be sure to tell her that she has nothing more to fear from me."

"Guys" Mercury piped up. She had her computer out and was typing rapidly. "We really need to get Jess out of here. She has several injuries that need to be attended to immediately."

Crescent Moon closed her eyes and whispered, "Helios."

There was a flash of bright light, and when it faded, the white haired priest was standing in front of them. He took in the scene before letting out a tired sounding sigh.

"Just when I thought my day couldn't get any more chaotic." he muttered.

There was another bright flash of light and they all found themselves in Elysian. They all let go of their transformations. As they began hurrying toward the palace, Jess's breathing became labored and raspy.

Amy gasped as she read the information on her computer screen. "Oh no. I think one of her broken ribs has pierced her lung and it's collapsing."

"What are we going to do?" Serena cried.

Helios turned serious eyes on Darien. "The prince is her only hope now. He must use his healing powers to help her."

"I've never tried to heal injuries as serious as these before." Darien protested.

Helios shook his head. "Nevertheless, you are the only one who can heal her. You have come far in your training with the Golden Crystal. It will heed your commands."

Serena grabbed Darien's hand tightly. "You can do it. I know you can. You won't fail because you always accomplish everything you set out to do."

Darien squeezed her hand tightly in return and gave her a crooked grin. "That's only because I have you beside me."

"Well let's do this." Andrew said curtly. He pushed by everyone to walk ahead of them to the palace. Once there, he went directly to the room that they had been in the last time he had carried an unconscious Jess into Elysian.

She jerked and moaned as he laid her as gently as possible on the bed. Her breaths weren't rasping as much as they were before, and that scared him. It seemed they were becoming shallower with every breath she tried to draw into her body.

Darien hurried to her side and held his hands over her. They began glowing gold as he called upon the healing properties of the Golden Crystal. Before he had a chance to begin the healing process, Jess let out one last shuddering breath and fell completely still and silent.

Andrew felt something break inside him. He was engulfed by waves of searing pain that seemed to burn straight into the depths of his very soul.

Mina gasped as she saw the soul bond between Andrew and Jess shatter in the blink of an eye. Tears sprang to her eyes as she grieved for their loss. "I can't believe it. She's gone." she whispered brokenly.

Other cries were heard around the room as they all realized the same thing. Jess was dead.

Andrew's anguished cries were heard above everyone else's. He clutched her body close to him and rocked back and forth.

"No, no, no" he screamed. "You can't leave me like this." Tears were streaming down his face.

He felt hands trying to remove her from his grasp, but he refused to let go. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in her unique scent. She always smelled of citrus and fresh air, along with lingering hint of paint and turpentine.

A sudden hand squeezed his shoulder hard, and he looked up into the distraught face of his best friend. "Let go of her Andrew." Darien told him tensely. "There's still a chance that she can be saved."

**A/N** (Sere-chan runs and ducks for cover to avoid being hit by the various items being hurled at her by her furious readers). I'm begging for mercy here guys. I'm not doing this to mess up the story. There is a method to my madness, I promise. I know I have thrown you some curve balls the last few chapters, but it's all leading to the end. So whether you love to hate me, or hate to love me, I assure you that there is much more to come. BTW, Jess's death _**was not**_ the one I was hinting at a few chapters ago. Many more twists and turns lie ahead of us. I'm going to go find a dark hole to hide in from all of you now. Remember to review. Luv ya guys! Later!

Sere-chan


	22. Twisted Timelines and Miracles

**A/N** Okay, I'm crawling out of my hiding spot now to bring you guys the next chapter. I am thrilled to have survived the aftermath of the last one. At least nobody threatened to separate my head from my body. Well maybe this chapter will make it up to you guys, at least I hope it will. Time to get down to business. HUG TIME!!! BIG HUGS TO:

**Serandi82 **

**ange de l'aube **

**Silvermoonlight9**

**xo Usako ox**

**CharmedSerenity3**

**Swinkinator**

**TatianaRomanov**

**amaramichelle **

**rainbabie **

**JmacKarla**

**LexyS**

**GoldenDragon326**

**moonfan **

**SailorMercuryROCKS**

As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I really wanted to post this yesterday, but my sweetie took some time off work (trust me, that's a miracle) and I have been spending time with him. So it's cut into some of my writing time. To my readers that are following my other story, What If, I'm hoping to have an update ready for it in a day or two. I know I left you hanging at the end of that last chapter and you want to know what's going to happen next. I'm shutting up now.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 22

Twisted Timelines and Miracles

Andrew sighed as he lay back in the soft green grass and let the peace and tranquility of Elysian wash over him. He couldn't imagine a more perfect paradise anywhere. He was in a large meadow that was filled with wildflowers of every color imaginable. The late afternoon sun hung heavy in the sky, casting light of red, orange, and gold over the landscape.

He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. He wasn't sure how long he lay there, but it must not have been too long, for the sun was still in the same position when he opened his eyes at the sound of soft approaching footsteps.

A wide smile crossed his face when he saw her. She looked like a goddess in the flowing, dark blue sundress that swirled around her calves as she walked toward him. She had left her dark blonde, waist length hair down, and the curly mass danced in the breeze. The fading sunlight lit her with an ethereal glow.

"I figured I'd find you here." she said in that musical voice of hers.

He laughed as he reached for her hand and drew her down beside him. "Of course you did. You know me better than I know myself."

She giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "This is true."

"Does anyone else know where we are?" he asked as he nuzzled her neck right below her ear before kissing it lightly. He grinned when he heard her breath catch and she shivered slightly in his arms.

"I…I don't think so." she stammered breathlessly. "They were all busy doing other things. I slipped out when no one was looking. I'm good at that you know."

"Mm hm." Andrew murmured as he continued to kiss his way around her neck. He reached her jaw and laid several butterfly kisses there as he moved slowly toward her lips.

She turned her head slightly to meet his lips with her own. The kiss was gentle at first, but it wasn't long before the undeniable passion that always existed between the two of them bubbled to the surface.

The kisses became more frantic and hands began wandering, stroking and touching along the way. He rolled over until she was underneath him. Staring down into her sapphire blue eyes, he saw nothing but love shimmering in their depths.

He trailed his fingers over her flushed cheek. "I love you, Jess, so much."

She smiled sweetly at him and whispered, "I love you too, Drew."

"I don't think I can stop this time." he gasped as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"Then don't." she said softly, rubbing her nose against his. "I don't want you to stop. I want you to make me yours, Drew. There will never be anyone else for me but you. I will love you for the rest of my life."

Unable to resist the temptation any longer, her reached for the buttons on the front of her dress as he captured her lips with his. Then………

Andrew woke with a start. His eyes flew open and he sat up to look around the room.

"Damn, another dream." he muttered to himself. "You'd think I'd be used to them by now."

'_Yeah right, keep telling yourself that.' _an inner voice whispered to him. _'You know you'll never get used to them.'_

"Shut up." he growled.

A chuckle came from the door. "Careful my friend. They say that talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity."

Andrew shot a glare at Darien, who was leaning against the doorframe with an amused look on his face. "Well they wouldn't be far from the truth. What are you doing here?"

Darien grinned. "Lita sent me up to get you. She's got breakfast on the table. She said, and I quote, 'If you don't have your sorry ass down there in the next ten minutes, she's going to come get you herself and administer some electroshock therapy.'"

Andrew shook his head. He had known the scouts for years now, and had looked on the inner scouts in particular as a bunch of little sisters. He was finding out quickly though that they could be worse than a flock of mother hens.

He got up from the bed and began gathering clean clothes for a quick shower. Unable to stop himself, he turned back to his best friend and voiced the most important question on his mind. "How did last night go?"

Darien's eyes darkened with emotion. "The same. Still no change."

Andrew nodded and turned away abruptly. It was nothing against Darien, but he had a hard time meeting his eyes. Every time he did, he saw those same eyes looking at him from Jess's face. It cut him like a knife each time.

He made his way quickly to the bathroom and stripped his clothes off. He jumped into the shower before the water had even heated all the way, but he didn't care. He had a promise to keep.

It had been eight long, agonizing days, at least by Elysian's standards, since Jess had breathed her last shuddering breath. Most of the events that occurred after were still a blur to him. He just remembered the pain, and hoping that he would die with her.

He had sat there, clutching her lifeless body to him, willing his own life to leave him and go to her so that she could survive. She was too good and pure to not live a long, happy, successful life.

He had refused to let her go for anyone. It wasn't until Darien had told him that there could still be a chance to save her that he had reluctantly handed her over. Under Helios's guidance, they had performed some quick magic.

Serena had used the Silver Crystal to link her life energy to Jess's body, keeping it alive while Darien had used his healing powers to repair the damage to her body. Her ravaged neck, broken ribs, punctured lung, shattered wrist, and swollen cheek had been healed.

When the bond with Serena had been severed, she had been breathing gently and easily on her own. Her heart was beating steady and true, and everyone had been relieved, thinking that she was going to make a full recovery.

But as the hours had passed, a feeling of hopelessness had begun to set in. She had not awakened. And no matter how hard they tried to wake her, she remained unmoving and unresponsive.

Amy and Helios were both at a loss. According to the Mercury computer, she was perfectly fine. She hadn't even suffered any damage from being deprived of oxygen for those few short minutes. Helios claimed that she still dreamed. He had tried to reach her through her dreams several times, but had no success. It was like she had retreated into her own little world.

In the beginning, Andrew had remained firmly at her side, refusing to leave her unless it was absolutely necessary to go to the bathroom or something. But when he had collapsed from exhaustion on the third day, the others had insisted that he get some rest.

So he spent his days sitting by her, holding her hand and talking to her. He told her repeatedly how much he loved her and wanted her to wake up. He told her funny stories about Serena, Darien, and the scouts back in the early years. He would speak until his throat was sore, but still he would press on, rasping out words in a hoarse voice.

Late at night, someone would finally come and usher him from the room. He would leave her with a gentle kiss and the promise to return to her first thing in the morning. He would then go to his room where he would spend a few hours pacing, lost in his thoughts, before falling tiredly into bed where Jess would be waiting to torment him in his dreams.

He turned off the water and quickly toweled himself off before pulling on his clothes. He ran a comb through his damp hair and gave up as it fell into his eyes as usual.

He went to the kitchen in search of some coffee. After pouring a cup, he joined a dejected looking Serena and Helios at the table.

Lita put a plate full of bacon, eggs, and hash browns in front of him. "Eat" she commanded.

He gave her a mock salute. "Yes ma'am."

He took a few bites and washed them down with a large gulp of coffee before he turned to address the other two occupants. "Still no word from Rini?"

Serena sighed and shook her head. "No, and that bothers me. It was just so weird for Trista to show up and whisk her away like that. I hope nothing's wrong in her time."

Sailor Pluto had stormed into Elysian right after Jess had been healed. She had asked a few questions, and then told Rini that she needed to return to Crystal Tokyo immediately. She had offered no explanation, just that the king and queen had a problem that they needed to talk to her about.

Helios just stood without a word and left the room. He knew how upset his maiden was right now, but was under strict orders from Sailor Pluto to not say anything.

"I'm sure she's fine. She'll probably be back soon. In reality she hasn't been gone all that long. It may be eight days for us, but she's really only been gone two. Her parents probably just missed her and wanted to see her, that's all." Andrew said encouragingly.

Serena gave him a small smile. "You're probably right. It's just that things are so messed up right now. I'm worried that something else bad is going to happen."

"Hey that doesn't sound like you." Andrew chided her gently. "You've always been so cheerful and optimistic."

She let out a forced sounding giggle. "I guess it does seem odd. But none of us have been feeling like ourselves lately. How about you? How are you holding up?"

He downed the last of his coffee and stood up. "I'm fine."

"You didn't finish eating." Lita complained as she eyed the amount of food left on the plate.

"Sorry. I guess I'm just not very hungry." he muttered as he walked out the door.

Lita shook her head. "I hope Jess wakes up soon. He's going to end up running himself into the grave if she doesn't."

* * *

Rini stared at her parents through blurry, tear filled eyes. "What do you mean she just disappeared?"

Neo Queen Serenity sat next to her daughter and wrapped an arm around her. "Something in the past has changed. Whatever it is, it started a chain reaction that has led to Jess not existing in this time. We need to figure out what it is and see if there is a way to reverse it."

"Trista, were you able to find out anything?" King Endymion asked.

Sailor Pluto turned from where she had been staring out the window. She shook her head slowly. "Nothing concrete, Your Majesty. All I know is the past is not unfolding the way it was meant to. I was just in the past a few days ago, and everything was moving along fine. Rini, what has happened since I left all of you at the botanic garden the other day?"

Rini's brow wrinkled as she thought back on everything that had occurred over the last few days. "Well after Jess put two and two together and figured out who she was, she took off. We all went back to the arcade. I got fed up with watching everyone moping around. So I went out for a walk."

"I remember that well." Serenity nodded. "You about gave me a heart attack. We had all agreed to stay in groups, and you just up and disappeared."

"Anyway," Rini continued, "I found myself near Starlight Tower. I remembered how Jess always said that it was one of her favorite places because her parents used to take her there when she was little, so I took a chance and went in. I found her at the top and we talked for a while. I convinced her to come back with me. We ended up all crashing at Andrew's place that night."

Silence hung heavy in the room. Rini looked up to see all eyes on her, wide in disbelief. "What?" she asked nervously.

"That's not how it happened." a tired voice said. Andrew was sitting in a chair in a dark corner of the room, staring morosely out the window at the city. "We all sat and waited until late, but she never showed up. Finally everyone left and I went out and spent hours looking for her. Funny, I never thought to check the tower. I came dragging home in the early morning hours to find her curled up on my couch."

Pluto sighed. "I think we just found out what event triggered the change."

Rini sat there, a million things running through her head at once. "So it's all my fault." she whispered. "I'm the one who messed everything up."

Pluto shook her head. "No. The blame lies with me. While you knew the general outline of the events that were to happen, I insisted that the details be kept from you. I thought that it would be too dangerous to send you to the past knowing everything. I see now that I should have trusted you with more information."

"Well can't you fix it?" Rini demanded, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Can't you just go back to that night and stop me from ever going to find her. That would make everything all right again, wouldn't it?"

Pluto looked at her sadly. "I'm afraid it's not that easy. Time is never set in stone. There are always a couple of different outcomes. But when a major event in the timeline is changed, it can cause it to fracture, resulting in several alternate timelines. Once these timelines are created, they don't disappear, even if you go back and change whatever caused it. So technically, I could go back and stop you, but in the end, one of these other paths could still be followed."

Rini jumped up and glared at the time guardian with furious eyes. "So you're saying no matter what, we're screwed. Is that it?"

Pluto appraised her with a calm look. "No. There is still a chance that this path could still be followed. True, the order of events has been changed. But if the cards are played right, and Jess is still standing at the end, her feet will lead her on the path to here."

Rini began rubbing her temples with her fingers. "Do you always have to talk in riddles? I couldn't understand a word of what you just said. I just want to know what needs to happen in the past to get everything back to normal here."

There was a soft knock at the door and Endymion went to answer it. Helios entered with a soft-spoken greeting to his king. He acknowledged the others in the room as well before turning to Rini.

One look into his sad, amber colored eyes was all it took for Rini to fear the worst. Her legs felt suddenly weak, and she dropped to her knees. "She's dead, isn't she?" she whispered brokenly.

Helios hurried to her side. "No, she still lives." he reassured her quickly. "But I will not lie, the outcome doesn't look too bright right now."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Andrew asked them. "Why would you think Jess would be dead?"

"Rini," Serenity said quietly. "I think you should tell us the rest of what's been happening in the past."

Rini sighed and got up from the floor to take a seat on the sofa again, Helios at her side. She launched into her tale. When she reached the part about the fight between Andrew and Jess, and their temporary break up, Andrew stopped her.

"Wait a minute. She broke up with me?" he asked, astounded.

Rini nodded. "Yeah, but it didn't last long. It was less than twelve hours. It was a stupid argument anyway."

Andrew gave a sad chuckle. "Well that's always been the story between us. She gets mad at me if I leave the toilet seat up, and I get mad at her when she wears my favorite shirts and gets paint all over them. But she's never threatened to leave me before. What did I do?"

Rini blushed bright red. "It's not important."

"Yes it is." Andrew demanded, showing more life than he had in hours. "Whatever it is, I want to know so I don't ever do it again."

"I don't think you have to worry about that." Rini muttered.

Andrew leaned forward in his seat. "What was that? I didn't catch it."

Rini blew out a frustrated breath before yelling. "She broke up with you because you wouldn't sleep with her, you big idiot! She thought you were rejecting her and decided to break it off."

Andrew looked confused for a moment before comprehension began setting in. He shook his head in wonder. "I guess my past self held out longer than I did. Things must have really changed in the past for that to happen."

Rini snorted. "Whatever. Your sex life, or lack of it, is not the issue here. So she holed herself up in her room and you ran off and got drunk. Serena finally bullied her way into her room and tried to talk some sense into her. Then me, her, and Darien went over to your place. Now that was funny. There you were passed out in the middle of about a dozen beer bottles. So I threw a glass of water on you and Serena told you the facts of life from a woman's perspective. We convinced you to go to her. We were walking through the park when…"

Her words broke off as the events of what happened in the park ran through her mind. She could see Jess trapped in that whip, the way her neck had been torn open and was bleeding. She saw the determined look on her face as she walked out to face the enemy, unable to transform. She remembered hearing that piercing scream as she lay semiconscious on the ground. And the worst part, seeing Jess's broken and battered body as she had drawn her last breath.

Tears began flowing again down her face and choked sobs rose in her throat. She leaned against Helios as he wrapped a comforting arm around her.

"Tell them the rest." he encouraged her gently.

She shook her head. "I can't. I don't even want to think about it."

She felt the couch dip on her other side and looked to find her father sitting there, looking at her with concerned eyes.

She flung herself at Endymion and hugged him tightly. She cried on his shoulder as the entire sordid story came tumbling from her lips.

"Oh daddy, it was horrible." she sobbed. "There was this red headed man and a lot of youma. They were stronger than us, and Jess couldn't transform. We were all pretty much knocked out. That man, he beat Jess up really bad. She died. I saw her die. It was the worst thing I ever saw in my life."

She was babbling uncontrollably now. Endymion held her tightly and shushed her gently.

"Red headed man?" Serenity said, leveling a look on Pluto. "Is she talking about that bastard, Bastian?"

Pluto nodded. "Yes, for some reason he has shown up early. You weren't supposed to face him until after Talon's defeat. But he upped his schedule and came after Jess earlier than expected. He ambushed her, and like Rini said, it didn't turn out so well."

"You said she died." Andrew exclaimed. "But Helios claims that she's alive. Which one is it?"

Helios sighed. "After the fight, we took her to Elysian. She died almost immediately after arriving. The princess used her life energy to keep her alive, while the prince healed her."

"So everything's okay for now?" Endymion asked.

Helios shook his head. "No, it's not. It has now been several hours, and she shows no sign of waking. I tried reaching her through dreams, but she is completely closed off. It's like she has retreated into another world."

Endymion nodded, his doctor training kicking in. "It's a classic coping mechanism. Sometimes when someone has experienced a traumatic event, they'll slip into a catatonic state. Sometimes they never recover."

Rini pulled back from him. "But Jess will. She just has to. She's one of the strongest people I know. She won't let this beat her."

Endymion brushed away a strand of hair that was clinging to her damp cheek in an affectionate gesture. "Normally I would agree with you. Jess has never been one to lie down and quit, but the human brain is very complex."

"Actually" Pluto spoke up. "All of the timelines show her waking up from this. But after that, there are several different outcomes. It's uncertain at this time whether any of them lead here."

"That's enough for tonight." Serenity claimed. "You look completely wiped out, Rini. Why don't you get some sleep?"

Rini shrugged. "I don't know? I should probably get back to the others. I left in such a hurry, I'm sure they've got to be wondering what's going on."

"No." Serenity demanded. "I want you to stay here for now. I don't feel comfortable about you going back right now. Let's wait and see what happens first."

"But mom…" Rini wailed.

"No buts, young lady." Serenity said with a firm shake of her head. "The past is too unstable at the moment. I won't put you at risk like that. That is my final word."

"Your mom's right, pumpkin." Endymion told her. "We would be sending you back into the unknown. Trista said that Jess would pull through this. You can go back when things settle down if you are needed."

Rini stood with a huff. "Fine. I guess I'll be in my room if anyone needs me."

Helios gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'll let everyone know that you'll be back soon."

She smiled at him. "Okay. I'll see you later."

She told everyone else goodnight and left the room. As she was walking down the hall toward her bedroom, she was heard the sound of a lot of people talking coming from one of the rooms. She peeked into what was a large entertainment room and observed for a moment.

Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite were all grouped around a pool table, while Mina, Lita, Raye, and Amy sat at a nearby table. But while the generals all held cue sticks and the scouts had a deck of cards spread out in front of them, none of them seemed to be into their games. They all had serious looks on their faces as they conversed in low voices. It didn't take a genius to know what they were talking about.

The loud voices were coming from the other end of the room where there were two large wide screen televisions. One had a movie playing on it, while the other displayed a video game. There were around a dozen kids sprawled in front of them, ranging in age from five to fourteen.

Rini shook her head and giggled a little as two of the older boys began arguing over the video game and a girl of about twelve began yelling at them to shut up. It seemed once Darien and Serena tied the knot and Serena got pregnant with her, it had started a trend. This loud-mouthed group of kids was the result of it.

Rini froze as her eyes settled on two that she hadn't expected to see there. It was a boy and a girl that were sitting quietly together on a small loveseat. They seemed to be unaware of all of the chaos around them as they just simply stared off into space.

Rini felt a fresh surge of guilt rise up in her as she looked at them. They were twins, though you couldn't tell it by looking at them. The girl had long, light blonde hair and large hazel eyes, while the boy had shaggy, light brown hair that hung down into his piercing blue eyes. A quiet air of despair surrounded them.

Feeling fresh tears prick at her eyes, Rini turned and hurried to her room. Once inside her soothing haven of pink and white, she threw herself down on the bed. She stared up sightlessly at the crystal ceiling as all of the thoughts about what had happened flew through her head.

'_There has to be a way to fix all of this.' _she thought to herself. _'I just have to figure out what.'_

She rolled over and opened a drawer in her bedside table, removing a large photo album from it. Flipping through it, she was confronted with pictures of some of the happiest moments of her life. All of her friends and family stared back at her with blinding smiles.

She stopped turning the pages when she reached the one she was looking for. Andrew had taken it last summer, and it was one of her favorites. In it, she was arm in arm with Jess as they posed for the shot. Grinning broadly at the camera, they were both a little wind blown and sunburned as they stood on the deck of the large ship that they had taken a cruise on.

The Jess in the picture didn't look a whole lot different than the one that was currently lying comatose in Elysian. She looked a little more mature perhaps, but as with everyone who lived in Crystal Tokyo, the power of the Silver Crystal had stopped her from aging. She didn't look a day over twenty-one.

A soft knock at her door pulled her away from her reminiscing. When she opened it, she was surprised to find Sailor Pluto there.

Figuring she was about to get chewed out for messing up the timeline, Rini sighed and walked back to her bed to sit on it. Pluto walked in and closed the door behind her.

"I know this is hard on you, Rini." she began. "But I don't want you to blame yourself. This is just one of the repercussions of time traveling, that's why it's taboo. I knew that something like this could eventually happen every since the first time I allowed you to travel to the past. I should have stopped it after the Dark Moon Clan was defeated, but you seemed to thrive so much on your experiences in the past, that I continued to bend the rules."

Rini's head shot up. This was not what she had expected to hear. She grew sad though as she thought what was probably coming next. "You're not going to let me go to the past anymore, are you?"

Pluto appraised the girl in front of her. "Quite the contrary actually. As I said before, Jess will wake up from this, but that alone is not going to repair the timeline. It will be imperative to ensure that everything goes the way it should to set things right again. Can I count on your help?"

"Of course" Rini said without pause. "That isn't even a question. If there's something I can do to set things right, I'll do it."

Pluto gave her a wide smile. "I figured you would say that, but I had to ask. I'll leave you now to get some rest. I must return to the time gate for now. I need to keep a careful eye on things and search through the different timelines to see if I can find all the possible outcomes and see which path we need to try to set in motion. "

Rini's voice stopped her before she could get out the door. "Trista, can I ask you something?"

The older woman turned back to her. "Of course."

"If Jess isn't in this time, why is she still in the photographs? And when I passed by the entertainment room I saw…" her voice trailed off.

Comprehension lit Pluto's eyes. "The pictures and the twins are still here because Jess hasn't completely disappeared from time yet. That is why we must hurry and find a solution. If the past continues on as it is right now, more things will begin to change here."

Rini nodded her head. "I see. I hope we can stop it before more people disappear."

Pluto smiled at her. "We're going to try our best. Now get some sleep. I'll be in touch."

* * *

The stone walls shook under the force of the doors flying open as Talon stalked into the chamber. Without a word, he crossed the room and hauled the red haired man up by the front of his shirt before slamming him into the solid rock behind him.

"What the hell was that all about?" he yelled furiously in Bastian's face.

Bastian just looked at him nonchalantly. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the princess's surprise protector. I can't believe you have the guts to show your face here after that little stunt you pulled earlier."

Talon pulled back a fist and sent it flying into the other man's face. "Don't talk to me about stunts you bastard. What possessed you to go after Melody like that? You could have killed her."

Bastian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and sneered. "I accomplished in a few short minutes what you've been trying to do for months. I had that little bitch right where I wanted her until you showed up and interfered. I had her in my grasp, and you just handed her back over to those idiots."

Talon surveyed him with a murderous gleam in his onyx eyes. "That was not the way the plan was supposed to go. I saved her from a fate worse than death when I took her from you. In the condition she was in, she wouldn't have lasted five minutes against your sadistic ways."

Bastian had an almost pouting look on his face. "I would have given her a sporting chance. She's a regular little spitfire. I wouldn't have killed her right away. We need her to get the crystal. Anyway, I like the ones that fight back. It makes the experience much more enjoyable."

With a roar, Talon flung the man away from him and shot an energy blast at him. Bastian countered with one of his own and the chamber rocked under the impact of the two powers exploding.

Seeing an opening, Talon jumped at Bastian, knocking them both to the ground. They rolled around, throwing hard punches at each other. Talon managed to connect with Bastian's nose and felt the satisfying crunch under his fist.

With a bellow of outrage, Bastian managed to leap to his feet. He shot a kick at Talon, who was still crouched on the floor. His foot glanced off of Talon's temple, knocking him back down and dazing him.

"You are a fool, Talon." Bastian growled. "You let a pair of big, blue eyes and a tempting body distract you from the real mission. If we sit back and wait for you to finish with your little games, we'll be waiting another thousand years. But don't worry, I'll make sure your little princess enjoys her final moments before I send her to join her bitch grandmother in the afterlife."

That got Talon's attention. He shook off the unconsciousness that was tugging at him from the kick and climbed to his feet. "You son of a bitch. You stay away from her."

Bastian just grinned evily at him. "Are you forsaking our cause for her? Are you so stupid to let another woman manipulate you again the way my sister did? I would have thought that you would have learned your lesson after Beryl."

Talon unsheathed the sword at his hip. "Your sister was a bitch of the highest order. She thought that she could just go around killing people and steal their power for herself. She was too vain to think that anyone could ever defeat her, that was her downfall."

Bastian pulled his own sword as well. "You claimed to have loved her, and yet you came to the rescue of her murderers tonight.

"Enough!" a voice roared as the mist invaded the room. "You two are acting like a pair of adolescent boys fighting for the attention of some shallow girl. I thought better of both of you than that."

At the entrance of this new presence, the two men backed away from each other, eying one another warily as they reluctantly put away their swords.

"Now" the mist said. "I have to agree with Talon. You were too hard on the girl, Bastian. If she had died, then we would have had no chance to obtain the crystal. She is the key. We must have her. I question your actions as well, Talon. Are you no longer with us in our quest?"

Talon thought quickly. He wanted to tell them both where to shove their grand plan, but then he had another thought. If he were to pretend to still be after the princess, then he would have insight into what they had planned. That could help keep her safe.

He pasted an emotionless expression on his face. "Of course I'm still in. I haven't wasted a thousand years of planning for nothing. I just don't approve of Bastian's methods. I still believe that I can bring the princess willingly over to our side. That's why I gave her back to the prince and princess, to give them a false sense of trust."

Silence hung heavy for several moments. "Fine" the mist said. "I will leave this to both of you. Let's see which one of you can bring her in first. I want her brought before me, alive and in one piece. Is that understood?"

"Sure, sure." Bastian said sarcastically with a wave of his hand. "I'll take it easy on the precious little princess the next time I see her. I'll get my piece of her in the end. I look forward to it, she screams beautifully."

Talon clenched his hands into fists, but fought the urge to kill the bastard. "I'll be the one to get her. There is no need for violence against her. She can still be a powerful ally."

He spun on his heel and left the chamber. His mind was swirling as he thought about all of the events that had taken place this night. The sight of the princess's bruised and bloody body had stirred a rage and protectiveness in him that he had never felt before. It had been hard to just simply hand her back over to her lover, but he knew deep down that she was never meant for him.

Nevertheless, he was determined to do what he could to keep her safe, even if it meant becoming a double agent and betraying his people.

'_The first prophecy will be ignored. The light of silver and gold will come together, creating a power born of the moon and the earth. This power will have the strength to rule the universe. The one who controls this power will cling to the shadows, making the darkness her friend. When she finally embraces her destiny, the angel of darkness will rise. Worlds will either be saved or destroyed by the power that will rest in her hands.'_

The words of the second prophecy rang through his head. These had been the last words that his leader had whispered as he lay on his deathbed. He had been intrigued by the thought of such a strong power, and that was what had led him to hunting down Melody's existence. The girl had entranced him from the moment he had discovered her in the earth's royal stables that night so long ago.

But while they had been linked together by the bond of the dark power, he had been able to see deep down into her innermost thoughts. While she harbored some rage and anger about the unfairness of some of the events in her life, her soul was pure and beautiful. While it was true that she did cling to the shadows, she also held a bright shining light inside of her. Her capacity to love astounded even him. She was an angel of salvation, not darkness. And he would do everything he could to see that she was able to fulfill her destiny.

* * *

She laid there, her long, rich hair spread out around her like a silken fan. Her dark lashes lay upon her cheeks as her closed lids covered her deep blue eyes. She looked peaceful Andrew thought as he sat next to her, holding her hand. Her breathing was deep and even and her cheeks were slightly flushed. She looked as if she had just laid down for a nap.

But the truth was much more harsh. For eight impossibly long days, she had laid in this same position, not even a twitch of a muscle had moved. Even when Darien had inserted a needle into her arm so that she could be given fluids and nutrients through an I.V., she hadn't flinched, and Andrew knew she had a deep fear of needles.

The room was silent for the moment as Andrew just sat there, gazing upon her sleeping form. The sun was beginning to cast long shadows through the room as it prepared to set after another long day. He had been with her every since he had left the kitchen that morning. A barely touched tray of food rested on the nearby table, a testament to Lita vainly trying to get him to eat.

He knew that he should eat to keep his strength up. But in reality, the few bites that he was able to choke down felt like a dead weight in his stomach. Mentally and physically, he felt ill. Each passing hour that went by with no sign of her returning to him just increased the feelings.

The door creaked open softly as Darien and Serena entered the room. Darien went straight to the other side of the bed and began checking her I.V. and her vital signs, while Serena stood next to Andrew.

"Any change?" Serena asked.

Andrew shook his head slowly. He was all talked out at the moment.

Serena pasted a bright smile on her face. "Don't worry, Drew. She'll be back with us soon. We just have to give her time."

Andrew shot a disbelieving look at her before croaking out in a tired voice. "How can you keep saying that? It's been eight days. She should have woken up by now."

Serena looked at him in sympathy. "Don't lose hope now. She needs you to be strong for her. She depends on that. You can't give up on her."

Tears stung his eyes. "It's just so hard." he rasped. "The first few days, I kept expecting her to wake up and start yelling at me for hovering over her. But now it's starting to feel like there is no end to this hell in sight. I feel like it's my fault. I should have protected her better."

"Oh Drew, it's not your fault." Serena exclaimed. "We were all taken by surprise that night. There's no way that any of us could have known the way things were going to turn out."

"Yeah I know, but I was supposed to be protecting her." he growled. "Instead I get myself knocked out and leave her defenseless against that asshole."

"You're being too hard on yourself." Darien told him. "You got knocked out while protecting her from that youma. None of us are perfect, you know. We were all out of commission for a minute."

Andrew stared long and hard at his best friend, anger bubbling inside him. "So you're telling me that if it was Serena laying in that bed instead of Jess, you wouldn't be sitting here thinking the same thing I am right now?"

Darien looked up from where he was adjusting the catheter in Jess's arm to look at his friend with shocked eyes. After a few moments, he shook his head. "You're right. If the roles were reversed, I'd be feeling the same way."

Shaken by the thought, Darien leaned down to pick up a fresh bag of saline, not realizing that he still held tightly to the tube that was attached to Jess. It pulled against her skin sharply.

The other three occupants of the room froze when the body on the bed gave a slight jump and a whimper, so soft it almost wasn't audible, left her lips.

'_Ouch!'_ Andrew heard inside his head. He jumped to his feet and put his fingers to his temples.

"Did you guys hear that?" he asked excitedly.

Serena smiled. "Yes, I heard her whimper. Maybe she's waking up."

"No, not that." Andrew almost yelled in exasperation, and then paused. "Oh that's right. I guess I'm the only one that can hear her inside my head."

'_Too much noise.'_ the voice complained.

Andrew knelt down next to the bed and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry." he said in a much lower voice. "I didn't mean to yell."

Serena and Darien watched in amazement as long, slender fingers twitched in Andrew's grasp.

Andrew reached up with his free hand to brush her bangs back from her forehead. "Jess, honey, please wake up. I need you to wake up, please."

'_So tired.' _he heard the voice whisper.

Andrew couldn't help but laugh. "Tired? I don't see how you possibly could be. You've been asleep for eight days."

Jess's eyes suddenly flew open. "Eight days! Are you kidding me?" she was barely able to rasp out in a voice that was rusty from not being used for so long.

The three standing around the bed stared at her in disbelief. She looked back at them in confusion as she pushed herself slowly into a sitting position.

"What?" she croaked out. "You guys look like you've seen a ghost."

Serena couldn't contain herself. With an earsplitting shriek, she threw her arms around the other girl, almost knocking her flat on her back again. She gave her a big kiss on the cheek before jumping up and spinning around.

"I knew it!" she squealed. "I just knew that you would pull through this. I've got to tell the others."

With that, she ran out the door and could be heard screaming in the distance. "Where is everybody…"

The room was silent for a long moment before Jess spoke again. "Okay, I think Serena has officially lost it. Has she been drinking or something?"

Darien dropped down onto the side of the bed and buried his face in his hands. On the other side, Andrew just sat there staring at her, her hand still gripped tightly in his. Jess wiggled it free and reached up to touch Andrew's cheek lightly.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly. "You look like you've been through hell."

His eyes looked at her, bright with the unshed tears that were threatening to fall. "Please don't let me be dreaming this time." he muttered. "I don't think I can take it if I am."

She looked him steadily in the eyes. "You are so not making any sense. But I can assure you that this is no dream. I don't think I can ever remember being this hungry or thirsty in a dream."

She looked down at her other hand that had the I.V. in it. "Of course this could be a nightmare since I've got a needle in my arm."

Her attempt at humor was all it took to bring down Andrew's walls. A few of the tears finally leaked out from the corners of his eyes as he pulled her close and wrapped her securely in his arms.

"Don't you ever scare me like that ever again." he whispered brokenly into her hair.

She pulled back a little to look at him. "I would say okay, but I have no idea what I did. Did you really say that I have been asleep for eight days, or was I imagining it?"

Darien finally looked up. "Jess, what's the last thing you remember?"

Her brow furrowed as she thought. "I was walking through the park. I accidentally bumped into this guy and then…" she broke off as the memories of what had happened next filtered through her head.

Her hand crept up to her neck, where instead of the cuts she was remembering, she encountered smooth skin and a thin gold chain. She breathed a sigh of relief as she closed her hand around the tear shaped sapphire pendant.

"Oh man, am I glad to have that back where it belongs." she muttered. "That was a horrible feeling to not be able to transform."

The rest of the battle played through her head and she began to shake violently. She clung tightly to Andrew. "I thought we were all done for." she whispered. "The last thing I remember was looking over at you. You were lying so still. I thought you were dead."

Andrew held her tightly. There were so many things that he wanted to say to her right now, but his overwrought emotions made it impossible for him to come up with the words. So he tried to convey all of his feelings through the embrace.

Jess went to wrap her arms around his neck, but gave a sharp hiss as the I.V. pulled once more at her skin. "Ouch! Darien, I'm sure your doctoring skills were excellent as usual, and I hate to be a pain. But do you think you could get this damn needle out of my arm? It's seriously interfering in my social life."

Both guys laughed at the sound of her sarcastic complaining and shared relieved looks. A few minutes later the I.V. was out, with a little bit of grumbling from Jess about needles and how much she hated them. Darien had barely secured a bandage in place before she turned and threw herself at Andrew.

"Much better." she sighed as she settled herself on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Serena came rushing back into the room, followed closely by Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina.

The next few minutes were hectic as all of the girls took turns hugging her and their excited voices babbled away.

Things were just beginning to die down when there was a flash of light. Aurora appeared with all three cats. Nebula let out a piercing yowl and leapt to the bed where she proceeded to almost maul poor Jess.

Jess laughed and everyone savored that long missing sound. "Nebula, you mangy feline, your hair is tickling my nose. You couldn't have missed me that much."

The orange cat pulled back and extended her claws toward the girl's face. "If you ever pull another stunt like that again, plastic surgery will never be able to fix what I do to you."

Jess gulped as she backed away from the razor sharp claws. She looked around, desperately trying to find something to take the focus off of her. She spotted Luna and Artemis at the foot of the bed. Artemis was sporting some fresh scratches across his face.

She smirked at the white cat. "Looks like she already got to you." She didn't think cats could blush, but she could have sworn that Artemis's cheeks turned a faint pink color.

He hung his head and muttered. "Well, you know how she is."

Nebula bristled. "Which reminds me, I'm not through with you yet, you good for nothing tomcat."

Artemis let out a startled meow and jumped quickly from the bed. He raced over to Mina, who picked him up and cuddled him close, giving him the proper sympathy that he felt he deserved.

"Okay" Jess said, turning serious after assuring Aurora she was fine and putting up with her coddling for a few minutes. Amy had scanned her with the Mercury computer and declared her in perfect shape. "If I've been vegging out for eight days, what have I missed? What the hell happened at the park after I passed out?"

The story came out slowly, everybody kept interrupting each other to add some fact that they thought was important. When they reached the part about when Talon had rescued her, Jess's eyes got impossibly wide.

"You mean after everything he's done, he saved me from that other guy? He didn't attempt to carry me off? That's way beyond weird." she said in confusion. She shivered at the thought of Talon touching her.

Andrew pulled her closer against his side. "He did though. He walked right over and handed you to me. We didn't stick around to see what happened next."

"So then you brought me here, where I decided to go on an eight day long snooze fest." Jess joked. When nobody else joined in with her quiet laughter, she looked around at everyone's glum faces.

"Geez" she muttered sarcastically. "Nice to see that everyone's glad I decided to leave la la land. Maybe I should just roll over and go back to sleep."

"No, no, it's not that." Serena reassured her quickly. "It's just…" She looked at Darien helplessly.

Darien cleared his throat. "What Serena is trying to say is that you were in really bad shape when we brought you here. You had several cuts and bruises and a broken wrist, along with three broken ribs. One of those ribs punctured your lung, causing it to collapse."

He stopped and took a deep breath before forcing out the next words. "You quit breathing right after we arrived here."

Jess looked at him in shock. "Are you saying that I died?" she asked incredulously.

Heads nodded around the room as everyone answered her question. When no one made a move to say any more, Helios stepped up.

"Technically, yes, you died." he told her. "But thanks to the Silver and Golden Crystals, you were able to be saved. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a certain someone in Crystal Tokyo eagerly waiting for the news that you've awakened."

Even though she was shaken by what she had been told, she managed a small smile. "I was wondering where your other half was. Tell that cotton candy head she better come back soon."

Helios inclined his head. "I'll make sure to pass on the message." He was gone in a flash of light.

Jess was quiet for a moment, thinking about everything that had been revealed to her. She shuddered at the thought of dying and snuggled deeper into Andrew's arms. She looked up at his face to find him watching her with relieved, but still somewhat teary eyes.

"I'm sorry." she whispered as she trailed a finger down his cheek. "I never thought things would turn out like that. I saw my pendant lying on the ground and thought I could get to it and transform, but he was so fast."

Tears began pooling in her eyes. Andrew shushed her gently. "Shh, everything's okay now. I admit that this has been the worst eight days of my life, but as long as you're back with me, that's all that matters."

A sudden rumbling sound broke the tender moment and sent both of them into a fit of giggles. Jess pushed herself away from Andrew and got off the bed, moaning a little as her leg muscles protested the movement after not being used for so long.

Andrew was off the bed in a flash and by her side. He wrapped a supporting arm around her waist. "Easy there." he cautioned. "You don't need to overdo it."

She shot him a pouting look. "What I need right now is caffeine, food, and a hot shower."

"Your wish is my command." Andrew said gallantly, sweeping her up into his arms and exiting the room.

"Drew, put me down. I can walk, you know. I'm not an invalid." Jess's protests filtered down the hall to the rest of them, causing them all to laugh as they left the room. Soon, only Serena and Darien were left.

Serena smiled sweetly before leaping at him. He wrapped his arms around her while her arms locked around his neck and her legs encircled his waist. She pulled his head down and gave him a very unexpected, but enthusiastic kiss. He returned the kiss, just as passionately as she was giving. It was several long moments before they pulled apart.

Serena rested her forehead against his. "I can't believe we got her back." she whispered. "It's like a miracle."

"I know." he replied softly. "Now we've got to figure out this new enemy and make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

She hugged him close. "I know we can do it. This time all of our futures will be different. This time we all will survive."

* * *

Rini sighed as she pushed her food around with her fork, not even paying attention to what food was on her plate. Her gaze was fixed on a drop of water that was slowly making its way down the side of her glass of tea.

"Rini" a soft voice broke through her thoughts. "Sweetheart, are you going to eat, or just sit there and play with it?"

Bright maroon eyes looked up to meet a pair of shining crystal blue ones across the table. "Sorry mom, I guess my mind wandered off for a minute."

Serenity smiled gently at her daughter. "I know you have a lot on your mind, but you should still try to eat. What good would Sailor Crescent Moon be if she didn't have the strength to lift her wand?"

"Yeah, you never had that problem did you, Meatball Head?" Endymion joked from his seat between them at the head of the table. "You were always an emotional eater. The more stressed you got, the more you ate. I still think it's amazing that I never broke my back in all the times I had to pick you up."

Serenity's eyes snapped with anger as she laid her fork down. "Ohhh…you can still be such a jerk sometimes, Darien. I seem to remember someone who always kept a stash of chocolate hidden away for emergencies. You said it helped calm your nerves."

Endymion grinned wickedly at her. "And I remember when a certain someone found my stash and proceeded to eat every bit of it. Remember the stomach ache you had that night, Serena?"

"I can't believe you brought that up!" Serenity exclaimed. A round of good-natured bickering sprung up between them.

Rini watched her parents with an indulgent smile. She knew that they were doing this on purpose to try and snap her out of her mood, and she loved them all the more for it. It truly was fun to watch them together like this. It distracted her enough that she was able to eat several bites without thinking about it.

She was laughing for the first time in two days when a knock on the dining room door interrupted them. The three royals composed themselves before Endymion called out, "Enter".

One of the footmen opened the door and stepped in. "I'm sorry for disturbing your dinner, Your Highness's, but Lord Helios has arrived. You said to show him in the moment he got here."

"Yes, yes, by all means, bring him in." Endymion commanded.

The footman bowed and then backed out the door, waving Helios in from the hall.

Helios stepped in and took in the scene in front of him. "Greetings my king, my queen," he turned smiling eyes on Rini, "and my princess."

Rini took one look at his laughing amber eyes and knew what he had come to say. "She woke up, didn't she?" she squealed.

Helios smiled and nodded his head. "Yes she did, and she's just as spunky and sharp tongued as she ever was. She wanted me to deliver a message to you."

Unable to sit still, Rini jumped up from her chair. "Well, what did she say?"

He chuckled, "She said you better get your cotton candy headed self back soon."

"Yuck" Rini complained. "I hate that nickname, but I don't care. The important thing is that she's awake. What took you so long to come tell me? I've been going crazy."

Helios sobered a little. "I'm just now giving you the news because she just woke up."

She did some quick calculations in her head. "But that would mean that she's been out of it for like a week."

"Eight days to be precise." he answered.

Rini let out a low whistle. "Wow, and I thought Serena was the only one who could sleep like that."

"Hey!" Serenity piped up. "I admit that I enjoy my sleep, but I never slept like that."

Rini stuck her tongue out at her. "Just kidding, Mom."

Another knocked sounded at the door announcing the arrival of Sailor Pluto. After greeting everyone, she turned to Rini. "I have been searching through the timelines to find the one we need to follow. With Jess's awakening, the path has become clear. You said I could count on you for your help. Are you in?"

She turned to her parents, both of them sighed before nodding their approval. She faced Pluto with a wide smile. "I'm in."

Pluto studied her for a moment. "I won't lie to you. Things are still uncertain at this point. To set things back in order, we are going to have to very carefully manipulate some events in the past. It's risky. One wrong move, and we could alter this time even further. When I tell you to do something, I need you to do it without question, even if it sounds bizarre. Can you do that?"

Rini was silent for a moment as the weight of Pluto's words settled over her. Tampering with the past was more than risky, it was borderline insane. She was shocked that the usually rigid time guardian was even suggesting it. If things went wrong, this whole time could collapse.

"Is there no other way, Trista?" Serenity asked.

"I'm afraid not." she replied. "Jess's path has been chosen, and unless a few events are changed, she will not survive to join you all here in Crystal Tokyo."

"I can't let that happen." Rini said. "I'm with you Puu. I'll do whatever I have to to get her back here where she belongs. She's practically my sister. Andrew and the twins need her."

Pluto nodded. "Okay, then let's go."

"Let me just grab my broach." Rini said, running quickly from the room.

She made her way down the winding halls to her room. She snatched up the small, heart shaped broach. She always felt so safe here at home, that she usually forgot to carry it with her unless she was leaving the palace.

Closing her door behind her as she left, she was brought up short by the sight of two figures leaning up against the wall in the hallway.

"Hi guys" Rini greeted them.

The boy looked at her with his deep blue eyes. "You're going after our mom, aren't you?"

"Yes" Rini told them. "Pluto has found a solution, so I'm going back to the past to help her make sure everything goes okay."

The girl had tears swimming in her bright hazel eyes. "Do you really think you can bring my mom back?" she whispered.

Rini put an arm around each one of the slightly younger children and hugged them tight. "Don't worry, I'm going to do everything I can to get her back to you and your dad. I promise."

**A/N** You guys didn't seriously think that I would just kill Jess off like that, did you? I was just indulging in a sick need for drama. But things are not settled yet. The timeline is still all messed up. Can Rini and Trista fix it and save the future? I sure hope so because it seems that Jess has got a husband and a couple of kids to get home to. I wasn't sure at first about revealing the twins in this chapter, but I decided to anyway. They won't appear much in this story, but I've got four words for you, "Wait until the sequel." I still haven't come up with a name for it yet, but I'm thinking. Enough out of me. I hope you all enjoyed this. Please fuel my passion for reader feedback and review. Catch ya later!

Sere-chan


	23. Nervous Night Out

**A/N** Okay everyone, I know you have been waiting for this a little longer than usual, and I apologize. What can I say, between school, holidays, and family stuff, real life can be a pain sometimes. To all of my American readers, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. To everyone else, I hope you are all doing well too as we enter the holiday season. Time for my hugs, and there's a lot this time. You guys have bumped me up to over 250 reviews. I could cry I'm so happy. BIG HUGS TO:

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I seriously appreciate every single one of you. You make me feel like what I'm writing is actually worthwhile. Well now I have a little chapter for you to read. This one goes back to the normal feel of the story after the roller coaster I've been on for the last few chapters. This was fun to write. There is some seriousness, but comedy and romance as well. There is also a slightly steamy scene at the end that almost made me cry. Hope you like it!

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 23

Nervous Night Out

Andrew sighed as he knocked on the door for what felt like the hundredth time that night. "Come on, Jess. We're going to be late."

He heard a moan from the other side of the door before a panicked voice replied. "No. I don't want to. I changed my mind."

He turned to look at Aurora, who was standing next to him with a concerned look on her face. She shrugged at him before she decided to give it a try.

"Jessie, sweetie…" she began in a calm voice.

"No" came the sharp reply. "I must have been crazy to agree to this. Why didn't one of you stop me? You know I always act before I think. Oh…I feel sick."

Andrew shook his head. He hoped that reinforcements would arrive soon. When he had arrived at the apartment a half hour ago to pick up Jess and found her locked in the bathroom, unwilling to come out, he had placed a frantic call to Serena begging for help.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the doorbell over the moans that were still coming from the bathroom. Help had finally arrived. He just hoped that Serena and Rini could be more effective than he had been.

Aurora went to answer the door and soon returned with Serena, Darien, and Rini in tow. Serena and Darien looked at him questioningly while Rini just shook her head.

The pink haired teenager huffed out a breath. "So she's locked herself up and won't come out, huh?"

Andrew threw his hands up in exasperation. "Yeah. I don't know what else to do. She won't even listen to me. I've been trying to get through to her for the last thirty minutes, but she's so stubborn."

Rini pushed by him muttering to herself. "I swear, what is it about temperamental artists? I have never understood why she does this to herself every time." She banged on the door sharply. "Come on, spazoid, get your ass in gear. This could be one of the biggest nights of your life, and you're not going to spend it worshiping the porcelain god."

"Rini" Serena scolded her as she joined her at the door. She knocked softly. "Jess, honey, open the door. I know you're nervous, but tonight is a reason to celebrate."

The sound of the lock turning had them all fall silent for a second. Then door opened just enough for two slim arms to reach out and grab Serena and Rini and pull them into the bathroom. The door banged shut once more and the lock clicked into place.

Aurora sighed. "Well, that's an improvement. At least she's not alone in there anymore. Maybe those two can calm her down."

Andrew and Darien nodded their agreement as they followed her back into the living room to wait and see what would happen.

It had been almost three weeks since Jess had woken from her near death experience and things had been hectic. Jess had been busy finishing up her summer classes and was now on a short break before the fall semester started. She had studied hard and passed everything with flying colors.

Then there were the youma attacks. Things seemed to have escalated since the appearance of this latest enemy. It seemed that they were all pulled almost nightly from their beds to go check on a disturbance.

The good news was that they hardly ever needed to do anything. It seemed that a war had broken out between Talon and the red headed man that they know knew was named Bastian. It seemed that whenever one of them would launch an attack, the other would show up and foil their plans. So most of the time the heroes just sat on the sidelines and kept a lookout to make sure no civilians were put in any danger.

There had been a few hair-raising moments. The first one had occurred on the first night back in Tokyo. Andrew had been curled up on the couch in his apartment with Jess, watching a movie and contemplating making a move on her, when they had gotten a call of a youma attack near a crowded movie theater.

They had transformed and rushed to the scene to join the others. They had all stood, stunned by the sight in front of them. There was a small group of youma, but they stood looking just as confused as everyone else as the two sorcerers duked it out in the middle of the street.

They had soon become aware of their audience and paused in their fighting to survey Tokyo's heroes. Talon had merely inclined his head in greeting, while Bastian smirked at them all.

"Come to enjoy the show?" Bastian had called out jovially. "It should be pretty good. I'm just showing this wanna be how to get the job done right."

His eyes lingered on Sailor Shadow for several long moments before he let out a bark of laughter. "Now look at that, Talon. You were so afraid that I had been too rough on your precious little princess, but there she stands healthy and whole. I told you, they always scream and act like they don't like it, but deep down they are enjoying themselves."

He blew a kiss in Sailor Shadow's direction, which of course set off her short temper. She went to lunge into the fray, but Andrew's quick reaction had stopped her. He grabbed her around the waist tightly and held her back, even if he did receive a couple of shocks from her barely restrained power.

"Let me go, damn it!" she had screamed. "Let me at that son of a bitch! You want a piece of me asshole? Then bring it on. I'm ready for you this time."

Andrew had shocked the entire group when he had merely tossed her over his shoulder and leapt away from the battle to take her someplace for her to chill out. Of course she had been majorly pissed at what she had seen as him just being a macho showoff and barely spoke to him for two days. She eventually calmed down and apologized for losing her temper.

The next incident had happened about a week after the first. A youma had gone on a rampage while Talon and Bastian were distracted by each other. It was tearing through a fairly busy shopping district full of civilians, so they had gone after it.

A blast from the youma came between Jess and Andrew, separating them. Smoke was hanging heavily in the air, making it hard to see. The youma had suddenly appeared out of the haze behind Shadow, taking her by surprise. Before the youma had the opportunity to strike, she had been swept up into a pair of strong arms and carried to safety.

When she realized that it was Talon that held her and not Andrew, Darien, or one of the generals, she freaked. She jumped out of his arms like she was trying to escape the flames of hell itself.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she shrieked at him. "Don't touch me."

Talon's eyes had narrowed on her. "Well that's fine thanks I get for saving your life. That's twice now that I've gotten you out of a dangerous situation."

She crossed her arms across her chest. "Well I certainly didn't ask you to. Last time I checked, you were out to kidnap me."

"And as I explained to the others the night I rescued you at the park, that is no longer my intention." he replied in a forced calm voice.

She rolled her eyes. "Forgive me if I don't cave into you so easily. It's kind of hard to trust someone who has hunted me down, set monsters on me, attacked me, and attempted to control my mind. Yeah, that's a little hard to take in at the moment."

Talon threw his hands up in the air. "You really are a piece of work, aren't you? Most people would be thankful when somebody saves their life. Instead you're treating me like a leper."

Her blue eyes glittered dangerously. She gave low bow. "Oh I'm sorry, I forgot my manner there for a minute." she twittered in a fake, sickeningly sweet voice. "Thank you so much for rescuing me. My hero! How can I ever repay you?"

They stood there and glared at one another for a moment before Talon threw back his head and laughed. It was an honest to goodness laugh too. It went deep and rang out for several long moments. When he finally stopped, he took a deep breath and had to wipe tears from his eyes.

"What is so funny?" Sailor Shadow demanded in frustration.

Talon chuckled. "Oh you are priceless. I haven't come across someone with a biting personality like yours in over a thousand years. It's refreshing. I haven't laughed like that in a long time."

"Uh…thanks, I think." she muttered.

He gave her a genuine smile. "Believe me, it's a compliment. I look forward to our next verbal foray. But for now, I will take my leave."

And just like that, he had disappeared, leaving a very befuddled Sailor Shadow standing there. She turned to find that the youma had been destroyed and all of her friends grinning in amusement at the event that had just taken place.

There had been more attacks and more words exchanged between them. There had also been some close calls between Jess and Bastian as well. The red haired bastard seemed intent on provoking Jess every chance he got, and Andrew and the others had their hands full trying to keep her from getting herself hurt.

'_Please, no drama tonight.'_ Andrew begged silently as he stared out the window at the Tokyo skyline. He really wanted this night to be perfect. He had planned everything perfectly and didn't want anything to go wrong.

"What are you grinning about?" Darien asked, eying his friend speculatively.

Andrew gave a start as he brought his mind back to the present. "Nothing much. I was just thinking about what a great night it's going to be if Jess ever manages to leave the bathroom."

Darien shot him a suspicious glance. "I didn't think art galleries were your kind of thing."

Andrew shrugged. "Well I guess when you're dating an artist, you learn to enjoy them."

"Hmm…" was all Darien replied. There was more he wanted to ask, but it was really none of his business. And quite honestly, he really didn't want to know the details of the relationship between his best friend and the reincarnation of his past daughter.

Andrew began pacing. "Do you think she'll ever come out of there? I thought she was excited about tonight. It's all she's been able to talk about."

Two weeks ago, Michelle had come to Jess with a proposition. A friend of hers was opening an art gallery in town and part of the showcase was to display work from local rising artists. One of the participants in the grand opening had to cancel because of family matters, and they were looking for someone to take her place. Michelle had casually mentioned Jess, and her friend had been all for it.

Jess had jumped at the opportunity, and had spent days with Michelle and the gallery owner, Natasha, going through her paintings and getting them set up for the opening night party. Now however, it seemed like her nerves had caught up to her and she was a wreck.

"Don't worry about it." Darien told him. "I'm sure Serena's got the situation under control. I know first hand how persuasive she can be. And with Rini in there to double-team her, she doesn't have a chance. They'll get her calmed down pretty quick."

True to his word, a few minutes later Rini and Serena walked into the room with triumphant grins. Helios had joined them by this time, and along with Aurora and Nebula, waited to see if Jess would come to her senses.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Serena announced, "I present the next world renowned artist, Miss Jessica Alexander."

Jess stepped into the room and sighs were heard all around. Andrew in particular had a hard time keeping his pulse rate under control. In his mind, she always looked beautiful, even when wearing worn out jeans and paint stained shirts. But nothing could have prepared him for this.

Jess wore a knee length, spaghetti strapped dress of a deep midnight blue that matched her eyes perfectly. The top of the dress hugged her curves tightly, while the skirt flared out slightly from the hips to swish seductively as she walked. Her long, caramel colored hair had been left to curl naturally before half of it had been gathered up into a gold clip. She wore a little more makeup than usual, but that only enhanced the pink of her cheeks, the brightness of her eyes, and defined her lush lips. Sapphire studs in her ears matched the innocent looking necklace she wore around her neck.

Jess looked around nervously. "Well, what do you think? I look ridiculous, don't I? I look like a little kid playing dress up."

The room was silent for a moment, and then Aurora burst into tears. "Where did my little girl go? It seems like yesterday you were just a baby, now you're all grown up."

"Wow Jess, you clean up pretty good. I never would have thought that such a beautiful woman was hiding underneath all of those layers of paint and old clothes." Helios joked. He flinched when Rini elbowed him in the ribs.

"Be nice." she hissed. "If she gets upset and locks herself up again, you can go after her."

Darien clapped a hand on both Andrew and Helios's shoulders. "Well, are we lucky guys or what? We have the privilege of escorting the three most beautiful women on the planet tonight."

Rini giggled as she joined Helios, while Serena cut a look at Darien. "You sure are a smooth talker."

He grinned at her as he took her hand and twirled her around, making her laugh. "Yes I am. But it works, doesn't it?"

Serena looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm…for now. But the night is young. Can you keep it up?"

Everyone laughed at their playful banter. Jess joined in, but it was plain to see that she was still a tightly wound bundle of nerves.

Andrew approached her slowly, his eyes sweeping up and down her form, taking in every detail of her elegance.

"Well?" she asked timidly, gesturing to herself.

He pulled her close to him and stared down into her shining eyes. "Beautiful" he whispered.

A trembling smile appeared on her lips. "Really? You're not just saying that are you?"

He chuckled as he leaned down to brush a quick kiss over her mouth. "Trust me. I'm not letting you out of my sight tonight. If I do, some other man may come along and snatch you up."

"I'm so nervous." she whispered. "What if everyone thinks my work is crap?"

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, everyone will love your pictures. That Natasha chick is supposed to be an expert, and she absolutely adored your work. You're stressing too much. Tonight is your night to shine, so enjoy it."

"Speaking of which," Serena broke in, "we're already running late. The party is going to start without us if we don't hurry. So let's get going."

* * *

"I'm tired of your juvenile behavior." the voice echoed through the chamber. It's been three weeks and neither one of you have been able to deliver the princess to me. You would rather spend your time fighting each other and wasting youma while the enemy sits back and laughs at us."

The two men were bowed in front of the mist. Bastian raised his head and glared at Talon before snarling, "It's all his fault. He gets in my way every time I put a plan in motion."

Talon laughed at that. "Plan? What plan? You just grab some youma and think that setting them loose will allow you to get to Melody? I'm sure you've noticed how well she's protected, even during a fight."

"There have been a few opportunities." Bastian sneered. "I have almost gotten her a few times, in spite of those fools around her, but you interfere. I've seen you go charging in to her rescue. You've had her in your grasp many times. But instead of taking her, you spend your time flirting with her like some lovesick idiot."

Talon shrugged. "I'm just building her trust up in me. After all, this is the woman that I plan on spending eternity with. I don't think snatching her away would endear me to her. Furthermore, have either of you thought of the fact that getting the princess doesn't ensure delivery of the crystal?"

"What are you talking about?" Bastian scoffed. "Of course it does."

Talon shook his head. "Think about it. She doesn't have it. I don't think she even knows where it is. Even if she did, if you take her by force she will refuse to tell us. It's better if she comes to us on her own."

"It matters not." the mist intoned, "There are ways to make her hand over the crystal."

"By taking over her mind?" Talon spat. "By turning her into a mindless zombie?

"If need be." the voice replied. "You forget your place, Talon. The girl doesn't matter. She is just the means to an end. Once we have the crystal, she is expendable."

"Probably be best to kill the little bitch anyway." Bastian said lazily. "Even if she says the she'll join us, how do we know that she won't turn on us later. It would be dangerous to have her around with her full powers."

"Indeed" the mist agreed. "She would become too much of a liability."

Talon froze at these words. Something that had been nagging at the back of his mind became clear. "You never intended to let her live, did you?"

Dark chuckles were heard from Bastian and the mist. "Of course not, you foolish boy." the mist told him in an amused sounding voice. "She is an abomination that should have never been born. Serenity and Endymion tampered with fate when they chose to ignore the warnings. That power should have never been created. But since it was, I think it only fitting that it be used to return this world back into what it should be. A planet free of any influence from those of the Silver Millennium. We will rule our world as we see fit."

"What of Serenity and her soldiers?" Talon asked. "They have protected this world for a long time. They won't give up easily. And Endymion, by all rights he should be ruling."

Bastian gave him a bored look. "Those girls will be dealt with easily enough. They have no right to be here. And as for our so-called prince, he gave up his right to the throne when he decided to go slumming in the bed of that lunarian bitch. They will all have to be disposed of."

Talon decided that he had heard enough. He spun on his heel and made to leave the room, his mind racing as he tried to think of what to do next. He had just reached for doorknob when the deep voice halted him.

"Remember Talon," the formless mist said, "on your own you are nothing. You depend on my power to fuel your own. Think about that before you do anything reckless. I will not tolerate obstacles in my way. Anyone who defies me will be destroyed."

Talon's grip tightened on the knob as he heard the thinly veiled threat. He composed his features into an indifferent mask as he turned his head back to face it. "I understand. I just wish that you have let me in on your plans for Melody before I got attached to her."

Bastian let out a bark of laughter. "She's just a woman. There are millions more out there to choose from. And most other women have better temperaments than her. Such a gutter mouth."

Talon couldn't suppress a tiny grin. It was true. When the feisty princess lost her temper, which was quite often with Bastian around tormenting her, she could let loose with a stream of curses that could make a drunken sailor look like a saint.

He took his leave of them. He knew that the time had come that he was going to have to make a choice. Either he would stand by his people and watch as Melody was stripped of the power that rightfully belonged to her and was killed, or he would jump ship and devote himself to keeping her safe.

He heard voices coming from behind the closed doors he had just walked through, and strained to hear what was being said.

"You don't honestly trust Talon to be our ally anymore, do you?" Bastian's voice sneered.

"Absolutely not." the deeper voice responded. "He has become blinded by the girl. I'm certain his loyalty no longer lies with us. He will betray us. I have seen it. He has lived out his usefulness. The next time he gets in the way, kill him."

Talon could hear the grin of satisfaction in Bastian's voice. "It would be my pleasure. Now if only I could get to the princess as easily, but she is constantly under guard."

"I have an idea about that." the mist replied. "If we can not get to her, then we will make her come to us. You say you cannot reach her, but what of the others? If we took one of her little friends hostage, I'm sure she would be willing to trade herself for them."

A cackle of glee was heard. "That just might be easy enough to accomplish. She seems to have a strong relationship with all of them, but seems to be particularly attached to Serenity, Endymion, and a pink haired one that I'm unfamiliar with. There is also a man that is constantly by her side. I'm not sure where he comes from, but his power suggests that he is solarian."

"Yes," the voice said thoughtfully, "one of them would be ideal. I'll leave it to you. Let's see how the little brat responds to emotional blackmail."

Talon pushed away from the door and sped quickly down the hall. He had to find a way to warn them. They needed to know that Melody wasn't the only target anymore. He knew that if one of the others were captured, she wouldn't think twice about offering herself up in exchange. And that could very well seal her doom.

* * *

Serena sighed as she closed her eyes and rested her head on Darien's shoulder. Her arms were draped around his neck while his were secure around her waist. They swayed slowly together as the soft music played around them.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Darien breathed against her ear, raising goose bumps on her arms.

She nodded her head gently. "Um hm. It's been a wonderful evening. It's not often I get to dance with my handsome prince anymore." She raised her head and gave him a blinding smile.

He chuckled low in his throat, the sound affecting Serena's heart rate and breathing. He had always had this effect on her, and she hoped that the feelings she felt when she was with him would never fade.

Darien was thinking pretty much the same thing as he stared down into those clear, sky blue eyes that he loved so much. He still found it hard to believe sometimes that she was his. If someone had told him five years ago that he would be engaged to the goddess he held in his arms, he would have called them insane. But that was before they discovered the deep bond that they had with each other. As Endymion, he had loved Serenity. But even if they hadn't shared a past, he knew that he would love Serena just as much as he did now.

He finally had his dream. As a lonely child growing up in an orphanage, he had wished for nothing more than a family of his own. Now with Serena, all of their friends, and knowing that Rini was in their future, he had it all. Unlike when he was Endymion, he wouldn't have to hide his wife and daughter from the world.

Thinking of his past daughter, he turned and looked across the dance floor where Jess and Andrew seemed to be sharing a moment similar to him and Serena. They seemed to be engrossed in each other as they moved fluidly to the music.

"Looks like Jess's nerves finally calmed down." he commented.

Serena giggled. "Thank goodness. I thought she was going to start hyperventilating when we first got here. But she got over it and I don't think this night could have gone better for her."

Despite her initial reservations, Jess's artwork had received rave reviews. Several people had begged for her to accept a commission to do paintings for them, but she had declined them all, explaining that she was still in school and wasn't ready to take on such jobs.

The song drifted to an end, and Darien placed a light kiss on Serena's lips before leading her from the dance floor. They met up with Jess and Andrew near the refreshment table. Rini and Helios joined them a moment later.

"So is everyone having fun?" Serena asked.

Rini nodded enthusiastically. "You bet. This is much more fun than the stuffy parties we have at home. I don't have to watch everything I say and do and can just be me."

Serena narrowed her eyes on her future daughter. "Are you saying I don't know how to throw a party?"

Rini just grinned. "Don't get me wrong, we have fun when we have small private parties. But it's those boring formal affairs that I can't stand. It's like everyone's watching you, just waiting for you to screw up so they can have something to gossip about. It sucks."

Serena and Darien laughed, remembering well the pressures of palace life. It could be quite disconcerting at times. Jess even giggled some as she remembered a few times she had been reprimanded for her behavior by Serenity in the past.

"Well, I don't think anyone could find fault with you tonight." Jess graciously told her. "You've been a perfect lady, and you look so grown up. That dress is perfect on you."

Rini beamed a smile at her as she smoothed her skirt. She had borrowed Serena's dress that she had worn to her graduation, and the pearly pink color set off the girl's features perfectly. She had also abandoned the odango hairstyle for the night, choosing to wear her long pink tresses in a loose ponytail with small tendrils curling around her ears. With Helios next to her in his signature white, they made a striking couple.

"I think we all look good." Serena said as she took a sip of the punch that Darien had brought to her. "I wasn't too sure about this dress in the beginning, but you talked me into it."

"I told you that you could pull off dark colors." Jess told her.

Serena's dress was black with wide shoulder straps. It fell in a long sheath all the way to her ankles. A long split up the side allowed for easy movement. She had left her golden hair down to curl down her back to her hips. Darien was dashing as always. He wore all black, black suit, black shirt, and black tie. It made the two of them look like the ultimate mysterious couple.

As she finished appraising them, Jess felt a possessive arm wrap around her waist. "I already told you how beautiful you look, but I'll say it again. You look stunning." Andrew's voice whispered in her ear.

She turned her face to him, eyes sparkling mischievously. "You don't look half bad yourself."

His hazel eyes danced with amusement, knowing she was picking on him. "Half bad? I'll have you know that it takes a lot to get me dressed up and to a function like this. You're just lucky that I love you so much."

Jess grinned and dropped a quick kiss on the tip of his nose. "Aw sweetie, don't get your feelings hurt. You know you look good. Every woman in the room does too. I'm sure that if I left you alone for too long, they'd be crawling all over you."

Jess took a moment to drink in the sight of him. Her heart thumped rapidly as she admired the way he looked in his suit. It was a deep charcoal gray. Under it, her wore a shirt of a lighter, shimmering pearl gray. The deep blue tie he wore matched her dress perfectly. His sandy blonde hair hung into his eyes like always, tempting her fingers to brush it aside.

"So how are things going?" Amara's voice interrupted their reverie as she and Michelle joined the group.

"Fine." Jess said. "At least I don't feel like I'm about to jump out of my skin anymore."

Michelle laid a comforting hand on her arm. "I know it's scary when you have your first showing. But I think you can let it go now. You are definitely a hit with this crowd."

"She most definitely is." another voice broke in. Natasha, the gallery owner, walked up to them. "I don't think I've ever seen a more successful first showing. You've definitely gotten people's attention, Jessica."

Jess blushed a little at the praise. "I don't see why. Michelle's work is much better than my own. I'm still an amateur."

Natasha waved a hand. "Nonsense my dear. True, you are young, but you have raw talent. It will grow with time and become even more amazing. Now, there are some people I want you to meet. The rest of you don't mind if I steal her away for a few minutes, do you?"

Andrew's grip tightened momentarily around her waist. He had seen the men drooling over her all night and didn't want to let her out of his sight. Michelle saw his indecision and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll keep a close eye on her." she whispered low where only he could hear.

So with a sigh, Andrew released Jess and watched as she strolled off with Michelle and Natasha. It wasn't long before they were surrounded by a group of admirers.

"I know how you feel." a voice growled next to him. He turned to see Amara staring hard at the clamoring group. "It always pisses me off too, but that's the art world for you. Those vultures claim that they are here for the art, but what the really want is a chance to dance and flirt with the attractive artists. They pay through the nose though for the artwork, so it's kind of a trade off."

Andrew huffed. "So pretty much saying that this business is just like any other, ruthless and cutthroat?"

Amara grimaced as she saw an older art collector lead Michelle out onto the dance floor. "Yep, pretty much. Just try not to loose it when you see her dancing with someone else. I did that at Michelle's first showing and almost ruined everything for her. Remember, it's just business. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find something stronger than this punch to drink."

Andrew barely noticed her leaving. His attention was firmly on the blonde beauty that was almost lost in the sea of men. He gritted his teeth as he saw Natasha wave an encouraging hand at Jess, who then allowed herself to be drawn to the dance floor by a young Japanese watercolor artist.

His first instinct was to run out there and rip Jess away from the man that was looking at her with lust filled eyes. But with Amara's warning ringing in his ears, he stood his ground. As much as he hated being witness to this, he didn't want to mess this up for her.

As he watched his girlfriend, he began to relax slightly. While she danced beautifully, despite her partner's evident lack of skill, she held herself stiffly and made sure to keep as much distance as possible between them. Sure, she smiled and laughed at whatever the man was saying to her, but there was a guarded look in her eyes.

That look faded however when she looked over at him with an apologetic gaze. He gave her a half smile and a small shake of his head to let her know that he was all right. She looked visibly relieved at this.

"Let's go get a drink." Darien growled next to him. He also watched his former daughter as another man came up and tapped her partner on the shoulder to cut in. "This reminds me too much of those damn balls of the past."

Andrew looked his best friend in shock, while Serena took his hand and asked, "What are you talking about, Darien?"

Darien didn't say anything for a minute as he turned and headed for the bar, Andrew and Serena following him. He remained silent until the bartender placed the rum and coke he had ordered in front of him and he had taken a long gulp.

He turned back to face them then. "It just brought up some old memories that I would rather not think about. I was just remembering the few times that Serenity and I were at balls together after our marriage. I had to stand by and watch as she danced with other men, unable to hardly even acknowledge her for fear of someone figuring out we were together."

Comprehension lit Serena's eyes, but was replaced by irritation a moment later. She smacked his arm lightly. "Well I had to watch you dance with all of those silly women, so it was a fair trade. I never danced until my mother made me do it to keep up appearances. And for your information, I never enjoyed it. Mother had to remind me constantly to smile. You on the other hand turned on the charm. I saw some of those women practically swooning in your arms."

Darien looked at her brightly flashing eyes and sighed. "It was all part of the pretense, Serena. We were supposed to be putting on an act after all."

Her eyes suddenly went calm and she smiled sweetly at him. A shiver ran down his spine. This was a look that he hadn't seen in over a thousand years. That only meant one thing, Serenity was up to something.

She leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his lips and then whispered in a quiet, but deadly voice. "Well then, you won't mind if I put on an act of my own, will you, Endymion?"

With that, she spun and grabbed Andrew by the hand and began towing him back toward the dance floor. Once he got control of his mind and realized what was happening, Andrew pulled her to a stop.

"What are you doing, Serena?" he asked. "Have you lost your mind?"

Serena just giggled. "Don't worry about it, Drew. This is an old game between us. I just want to see if he remembers how to play. The part he left out of the story is how we used to send a message to each other when one of us would find an opportunity to be alone. In order to sneak off, one of us would choose a dance partner and use them to move across the ballroom to get close to the other. When the dance ended, it was usually easy to slip away."

Andrew chuckled. "And everyone wonders why Melody was so good at sneaking around. She had you guys as role models."

Serena laughed. "I guess so. I never thought of it like that. But this time, this is more than a game. This song is almost over. I figure you can waltz me over to where Jess is and slip in just in time to claim her next dance. She's near the terrace doors, so you should be able to get out of here for a few minutes."

Andrew's eyes lit up as he realized what Serena was trying to do with her manipulations. He took her hand and led her the rest of the way to the dance floor. He gave her a twirl before pulling her into his arms. "Let's go get my princess, shall we?"

"Indeed" Serena agreed as they began dancing their way to the other side of the room where Jess was now dancing with a tall, dark haired man. They reached the far side just as the last strains of music ended. Darien seemed to materialize out of nowhere as they came to a stop.

"Could I interest you in a breath of fresh air, princess?" he asked Serena.

She gave him a bright smile. "You did remember."

"I remembered how much of a minx you are." he said in mock annoyance.

Andrew turned, eager to get in a few minutes with Jess, but she wasn't where he had last seen her. He let out a groan. "Oh man, now where has she gone?"

* * *

Jess sighed internally, relieved that this song was almost over. Her feet were beginning to hurt and she was dying for a drink after all of this dancing. She promised herself that she was taking a break after this.

The older man she was dancing with now was pleasant in a grandfatherly sort of way, but she had a hard time focusing on what he was saying. She kept a bright smile on her face and tried to not be obvious, but she searched desperately for a glimpse of Andrew. She needed to get away from all of this mingling for a moment.

Her dance partner stilled and she heard the inevitable, "May I cut in?" before she was released, only to be embraced by another set of arms. She looked up to plead exhaustion to her latest partner, and reeled back in shock. She would have fallen if it hadn't been for the strong arms holding her up.

"What are you doing here, Talon?" she hissed.

"Just continue to dance and act like nothing's wrong." he whispered, pulling her close.

She pushed against his broad chest. "I don't want to dance with you."

His black eyes seemed almost pleading as he looked into hers. "Please, just listen to me. I have something very important to talk to you about, but I'm not sure if I'm being watched. Just go along with me for a moment."

He started leading he into a dance, and she blindly followed. She had to admit, besides Andrew, he was the most talented dancer she had danced with tonight. He also looked very nice in his dark suit. The jagged scar on his face seemed less sinister and seemed to add an air of danger and intrigue to him.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Jess asked as they moved through the motions of the dance without even thinking.

"Shh, not yet." Talon shushed her. He knew that he was putting not only his own life, but also hers as well in danger by being here, but she and her friends needed to be warned. Even at this dire moment though, he couldn't help the rush of pleasure that coursed through him at the feel of her in his arms.

He quickly put a damper on the part of him that wanted to pull her closer and tighter to him. He had come to terms with the fact that she would never be his, but a man could dream. He needed to focus on his task.

He spun her in one last graceful spin as the music came to a close and quickly steered her through the terrace doors nearby. He felt her resistance and heard her sputtering indignation, but pulled her along swiftly until they were outside. He was relieved to find the terrace deserted, making it easy for them to talk.

He led her over to the far side and leaned her up against the railing. He put one hand on the rail at each side of her hips as he leaned toward her, blocking her in.

"You are all in great danger." he whispered to her.

Her eyes widened for a moment before she snapped. "How is that different from any other day? I have been in danger every day since the night you tried to kidnap me in the stable."

He shook his head at her. "Keep your voice down, they may be watching us. This is different this time. Bastian's no longer targeting just you. He believes that if he can get a hold of one of your friends, he can blackmail you into giving up the crystal."

"But I don't know where it is." she murmured back. "I don't know if anybody does. Nothing has been said about it, at least not to me."

He let out a pent up breath. "Oh, I'm sure Serenity and Endymion have a pretty good idea about it. If they don't, then I'm positive that priest does. He's been in on everything from the beginning. Hell, all of your friends probably know. If Bastian gets his hands on one of them, he may be able to get that information from them."

That definitely got her attention. She turned a wide-eyed gaze to him. "What do we do? How do we fight him?"

"I don't know." he told her. "I'm not sure how he's going to try to execute this plan. All I can say is keep doing what you have been doing. None of you should be alone at any time. Endymion, Serenity, your boyfriend, and that pink haired girl are his top targets, but he won't be above taking one of the others if that's all he can get."

Panic flared in her eyes as she took in his words. She went to push by him to go find the others at the same time she heard a voice call out, "Jess, are you out here?"

She felt relieved at that sound. "I'm over here, Drew."

Talon backed up a few paces and put some distance between them just as Andrew, Darien, and Serena came through the door. They all paused for a moment when they saw Talon, and then hurried over.

"What are you doing here?" Andrew demanded as he reached Jess's side and pulled her close. He was disturbed to find her trembling. "What did you do to her?"

Talon leveled his pitch-black gaze on him. "I didn't do anything. I just had some things I needed to discuss with the princess." His eyes returned to her. "Remember what I said." he said softly. "Bastian is a ruthless bastard. He'll go to any lengths to get what he wants, and he's not working alone. He has a source of almost unlimited dark power at his disposal. He'll never give up. Right now he's drawing up his hit list, and you and I have the top two spots."

Gasps were heard and Andrew pulled her tighter to him. Jess mulled this over for a minute, then her resolve and will to survive kicked in. She pulled away from Andrew and took a few steps toward Talon. The light of battle shined in her eyes and her lips turned up in a wide smile.

She held her hand out to Talon in an unexpected gesture. "Well, I guess we're just going to have to find a way to rain on his parade then, aren't we? I have already died enough, I don't plan on doing it again any time soon."

"I don't want you to either." he said as his eyes met hers. "I'm probably signing my own death warrant by doing this, but I don't care anymore. I'll help any way I can." He took her hand in his.

She squeezed his hand lightly. "Don't think like that. We have to believe that we are going to beat him. It's time for this vendetta to end. It's gone on for far too long."

Talon gazed at her in wonder. "I believe you can do it." he said softly. "You will fulfill the prophecy just like you were always meant to. You have the power to save the world."

Jess shook her head and gave a soft laugh. "I don't know about that, but I just have to have faith in myself and my friends. I believe that if we all stand together, we can win this."

"Here's hoping." Talon said as he released her hand and stepped away. "I don't think I was followed, so I'll go back and see if I can find out what Bastian has planned. I'll be in touch. And remember, please, to heed my warning."

"I will." Jess assured him as he disappeared.

Andrew huffed out a frustrated breath. "So what was so important that he had to come crash the party for?"

Jess brushed off his question, saying instead, "Let's find Rini first, this concerns her too."

After finding Rini dancing with Helios, Jess drug them all to a secluded corner and quickly filled them in on what Talon had told her. She had tears in her eyes and began shaking again as she looked around at the most important people in her life.

"So now I'm scared that he's going to come after one of you to get to me. I don't know if any of you know anything about the crystal, and at this point I don't care. To tell the truth, I wish the damn thing had never been created."

"Everyone's been staying in at least groups of two anyway." Serena said. "The inners have practically moved in with the generals, and since they all live together, they're usually in a fairly large group. The outers always stick together, with the exception of Trista sometimes, so I don't think that's a threat. As long as Darien, Rini, and I stay together and you stick with Andrew, there shouldn't be anyone left without back up."

"God, I hope that's enough." Jess said, closing her eyes. "I'd probably loose my mind if something happened to anyone."

"Jessica darling, there you are." Natasha's voice rang out. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Damn." Jess muttered under her breath. "Play along with me guys. I don't think I can handle much more mingling tonight."

She grabbed Andrew's arm tightly and leaned heavily against him as the petite gallery owner joined them.

"I was wondering where you had gotten off to." she mock scolded. "The party's starting to wind down, but there are still a few people I haven't introduced you to yet."

"I'm sorry, Natasha." Jess said in a strained sounding voice. "I think I sprained my ankle during that last dance. I was just about to send someone to see if they could find you and let you know that I was going to have to cut the evening short."

Serena and Rini's eyes widened a little as they heard this tale spill so easily from Jess's lips. On the other hand, Andrew, Darien, and Helios had to bite their lips to keep from laughing as they saw her cross her fingers behind her back at the little white lie.

Natasha was immediately concerned. "Oh dear, that's not good. Andrew, get her home at once. I can't have my newest prodigy being laid up for too long. I'll check in with you later."

Andrew just nodded his head. He didn't trust himself to be able to say anything without laughing. Figuring he ought to make this look genuine, he swept Jess up in his arms and carried her out the nearest exit, the others following. He waited until they were outside and a safe distance away before looking down into her dancing eyes.

"You are something else." he laughed. "I never would have thought you could pull off something like that. Maybe you should be an actress instead."

Jess giggled as he sat her back on her feet. "I didn't think I would be able to either. I've always been a terrible liar. I just couldn't stand the thought of having to put up with anymore of those poor guys stepping on my feet. They may be rich, but they can't dance to save their lives."

"Well the night is still fairly young." Darien said. "What would you lovely ladies like to do now that we have gained our freedom?"

The three girls looked at each other for a moment before grinning simultaneously. "Real food." they all moaned.

"I have never understood why they never have anything other than little finger foods at fancy get togethers." Rini said. "Who could get full off of that stuff?"

"Well most people don't have appetites the size of you three." Helios joked.

Rini squealed. "I don't eat that much!"

Serena sniffed. "There's nothing wrong with having a healthy appetite."

"Yeah" Jess interjected. "It's not like we don't work it off. We're not fat, lazy couch potatoes you know."

Darien and Andrew just stood back and watched the show. Helios looked terrified as the three princesses ganged up on him.

"Helios sure dug himself into a deep hole this time, didn't he?" Andrew muttered.

Darien nodded. "Maybe we should take pity on him and get them to a restaurant before they decide to make a meal out of him."

"I'll take care of getting Jess away from him, but the other two are all yours." Andrew told him.

"I'll get Serena, but I think I'll leave Rini to deal with him." Darien chuckled. "I'm not going to interfere in that relationship, and he needs to learn how to handle my daughter on his own."

Andrew cut a quick glance at his friend and couldn't help but wonder if there was a double meaning to Darien's words. They had never discussed his relationship with Jess, but sometimes he felt like he was watching them closely. Not that he blamed the guy, he would be protective too if he were in the same situation.

Shrugging it off, he went over and took Jess by the arm and steered her away from the priest while Darien did the same to Serena.

"Let's go grab some dinner somewhere ladies." Darien announced as two of the couples began walking down the street.

Some muffled words were heard behind them, and then the sounds of two sets of feet began following. Looking over their shoulders, the other four saw that this little spat was over. Rini held Helios's hand as she walked smilingly beside him.

* * *

The door opened to the darkened apartment, admitting two shadowy figures. The smaller one crossed the room to stare out the window at the night sky, while the larger one turned to close and lock the door.

After a moment's hesitation, the taller one joined the first one by the window and drew it into its arms. No words were spoken as their lips came together, speaking of love and passion. Hands began to wander over one another's bodies, exploring and seeking at the same time.

By mutual consent, they moved away from the window and began making their way slowly toward the bedroom. Clothes were lost and dropped haphazardly on the floor as they kept pausing to kiss and touch one another, savoring the moment.

The trip down the hall was ten times as long as it should have been, and littered along the way was his jacket, tie and shirt. Her dress finally slithered to the floor as they reached the bedroom door. His pants landed in the middle of the bedroom floor as they walked each other across the room.

Undergarments were disposed of as they reached the side of the bed. The long night passed as the two figures on the bed melded together time and again. The only sounds to be heard were gasps and moans of pleasure, along with softly spoken declarations of love.

When the daylight finally began chasing away the remnants of the night, it illuminated the couple on the bed. The man lay with his head propped up on a hand as he studied the angel lying next to him. His hazel eyes were tired, but that couldn't overshadow the look of adoration and love that was shining in them as he looked at the sleeping woman.

Laid on her stomach, her long, caramel blonde hair lay fanned across the pillow and caressing her bare shoulders. Her lightly tanned skin contrasted with the snowy white sheet that was draped over her.

Andrew heaved a sigh as he gave in to temptation and ran his fingertips softly over the light golden freckles that dusted across her nose and cheekbones. Part of him couldn't believe he had waited so long to claim her, but another part was glad that he had. This night had been magical. Unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He could have taken her many times over the past weeks, but with her finishing school, youma attacks, and her being busy with getting ready for the gallery showing, he had decided to wait until this night. And it had been worth it.

Her face scrunched up a little in her sleep as if she felt the light brushing of his fingers. She rolled over and burrowed herself up tight against him, one arm snaking around his waist.

Acknowledging his need for sleep as well, he settled down next to her and wrapped her tightly in his arms. He couldn't get over how right this felt. He hadn't given any thought to marriage since the break up with Rita. But as he lay there with Jess in his arms, he couldn't stop thinking of what the future may hold.

He smiled a little as he pictured Jess as his wife, of spending many more nights like this with her and waking up to her beautiful face every morning. He would finish his business degree while she pursued her art. Eventually someday they would buy a big house and he would let her decorate it. And then maybe, just maybe, they would be able to bring children into the picture.

He closed his eyes and thought about what their children would look like. The best he could come up with were small versions of themselves. A far distant memory of Melody, laughing as she skipped down a garden path with him at her side entered his head. Her long blonde hair was tousled and her blue eyes sparkling as she turned a gapped toothed smile on him.

'_Yeah'_ he thought as sleep began to invade his senses. _'Maybe a little girl just like her mother and a boy like me. That would be nice.'_

He drifted off into the sea of dreams then, holding the single most important person in his life close to him. His world now revolved around her, and there was no way he could live without her.

**A/N** Whew! Another one down. After a few chapters of pent up sexual frustration, Jess and Drew have finally made it to the next level. Yay! I know that whole final scene was kind of vague, but I was trying to keep it clean so I could keep this story in the same rating. I really wanted to focus more on the emotional aspect instead of the physical anyway. So how did I do? Please review me and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Reviews are like air to me and keep me going. Luv ya guys and I'll catch ya later!

Sere-chan


	24. The Waiting Game

**A/N **Hey everybody. I know I'm super late with this, but I've been busy with end of the semester stuff. Yippeee!! NOT!!! LOL…anyhow, I finally finished up this piece and thought I would get it up for you wonderful readers. There's not a lot taking place in this chapter, but there are a few emotional scenes and some funny stuff too. Also, this chapter shifts back to our original favorite pair. There's no enemy action or anything of that nature. This is just a filler chapter. You may call it the calm before the storm, because the end is coming. Okay, hug time. BIG HUGS TO:

**xo Usako ox**

**madorno81**

**CharmedSerenity3**

**TatianaRomanov**

**S dot Serenity**

**snoopykid **

**amaramichelle **

**GoldenDragon326**

**ange de l'aube**

**Chichiforever**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**SailorMercuryROCKS**

**RosabelleElizabeth**

**missmyrtlemay **

**JmacKarla**

Thanks so much you guys. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 24

The Waiting Game

The morning sunlight shined brightly down on the apartment building, sending a shaft of light through a gap in the black curtains that covered a window on the top floor. The light fell across the face of a young blonde haired woman that was laying on a king sized bed, her body covered by black silk sheets.

Disturbed by the light, she rolled over, grumbling in her sleep as she pulled a pillow over her head. She was sleeping so good, and she wasn't ready to leave dreamland yet. But a wonderful smell reached her nose, and as that permeated her senses her eyes fluttered open.

Seeing that she was alone in the bed, she reached out with her link to Darien, wondering where he was. She jumped a little when she felt his warm energy push lightly back against hers.

'_Good morning.' _she heard his voice whisper through her head. _'I was just about to come and wake you up.'_

'_Good morning to you too.' _she answered back. _'You sure are up early.'_

She heard him chuckle. _'It's not that early. Have you checked the time?'_

She rolled over to look at the clock on the bedside table. _'It's only 11:00. What are you, a freaking robot? We were up late last night. How much sleep did you get?'_

Another mental chuckle. _'I got enough. Now it's time for you to rise and shine too.'_

She pulled the covers over her head. _'I don't wanna. Why don't you come back in here and we can snuggle?'_

'_Hmm' _he mused. _'Tempting, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass. We have some business to take care of, remember? Raye will shish kabob you if you don't make it to the meeting on time. Especially after you're the one that called it.'_

She groaned inwardly. After the unexpected conversation with Talon last night at the art gallery, she had called all of the scouts and told them that she wanted to meet with everyone today. They had all decided to meet at the arcade for lunch since Andrew and Jess were both working today. That way they could be in on it too.

Serena regretted planning the meeting so early now. They had stayed out pretty late the night before. After leaving the art gallery, she and Darien had joined Jess, Andrew, Rini, and Helios for a late dinner. They had all lingered at the restaurant, talking and acting like life was normal. They had finally been run out when the restaurant closed.

After that they had split up. Jess was staying with Andrew until this mess was taken care of, so they had gone in the direction of the arcade and his apartment. The rest of them had continued on to Darien's apartment where Helios had bidden them a polite goodnight. Rini had shot Serena a grateful look when she had hurriedly ushered Darien through the door, giving the lovebirds some privacy to say their goodbyes.

'_Are you getting up or not?' _Darien's voice rang through her head. _'I'm making breakfast, but I'll feed your share to Rini if you don't get moving.'_

Annoyed, Serena threw back the covers. _'Fine, I'm up. I'm going to take a shower. You better save me some of whatever that is that smells so good. There will be hell to pay if you let that brat eat it all.'_

That must have amused him greatly, for she heard his laughter not only inside her mind, but also for real as well as it floated down the hall from the direction of the kitchen.

Rini's voice piped up a moment later. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." she heard Darien answer. "Serena's just a little cranky. She never has been much of a morning person."

Rini giggled. "Tell me about it. I try not to even go near my mom until she's had at least one cup of coffee. I value my life too much."

Serena cracked the bedroom door open and heard the two of them laughing together. "Go ahead and yuck it up you two." she yelled down the hall at them. "Not everybody can wake up perky you know." She closed the door again with a sharp click.

'_Aww honey, don't take it the wrong way.' _Darien told her. _'Just get yourself ready. I promise that I'll have breakfast and caffeine waiting for you.'_

Feeling somewhat mollified, she grumbled back, _'You better.'_

Serena crossed the floor to the large dresser and began pulling clothes out of drawers. Then she turned to the closet to get a pair of jeans. She shuddered a bit when she saw Darien's old pea green jacket hanging in the back. That thing really was a fashion violation and needed to be put to death. She made a mental note to make that thing disappear before the cold weather made an appearance.

She stepped into the master bathroom and set her clothes down before starting the shower to let the water heat up. She smiled at the sight of her bathroom items sitting next to Darien's.

She hadn't officially moved in with him yet. She still usually stayed at her parent's house a couple of nights a week, just to keep her father from having a cardiac arrest. Ilene tried to keep him under control, but trying to convince Ken Tsukino that his little girl was a grown woman who was engaged to be married to a future doctor wasn't easy. He had almost suffered from a nervous breakdown when he had noticed the glittering diamond engagement ring on her finger.

That had been a night to remember. Ken had cried and begged Serena to never leave home. He had even gone as far as telling her that she was grounded and not allowed to see Darien anymore. Then he had gone on a rampage, wailing that he wished that Darien had stayed in America and had never come back. Serena and her mom had ignored him the whole time. They had sat there, chatting and giggling like schoolgirls, as Ilene fawned over the ring. They both knew that deep down Ken liked and admired Darien. He would get over the shock sooner or later.

Serena stepped into the shower and let the warm water wash over her. She reached for the shampoo and picked up Darien's bottle. She opened it and held the bottle to her nose, inhaling deeply. He had been using the same brand as long as she had known him, and she had always loved the way it smelled, so fresh and clean.

She shook herself out of her daydream and replaced the bottle on the shelf and grabbed her own citrus scented one that she preferred. As she lathered up her hair she thought that maybe it was time to make this situation permanent. They had never really talked about her moving into the apartment, but with this threat from Bastian she would have to stay here. They had agreed to stay together in a group, and she really didn't want to take the chance of accidentally bringing her family into the fight.

Smiling at the thought of making the large, airy apartment her home, she quickly finished her shower. In minutes she was done. She dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and blew her hair dry just enough to get rid of most of the dampness before pulling it back into a loose ponytail. A little mascara and lip-gloss and she was ready to face the world.

She followed the heavenly scents to the kitchen. She paused at the door to admire the sight in front of her.

Darien was standing at the stove, carefully monitoring something that was cooking in the skillet. Serena almost felt like drooling. The man was an absolute god. The way those faded jeans cupped his fine ass and the fabric of his black t-shirt stretched across the firm muscles of his shoulders and back sent her pulse rate rocketing.

'_Oh yeah' _she thought to herself. _'I could definitely handle waking up to this sight every morning. Damn he's so sexy.'_

The sex god in question turned to face her as he sensed her presence. His blue eyes were twinkling and that signature smirk of his was firmly in place. "See something you like?"

She snapped out of her daze to reply. "Just admiring the view. Some women like to see a man that knows his way around a kitchen."

He chuckled as he took the skillet off the burner and set it aside. "So you love me for my cooking abilities. And here I thought we had something special."

She giggled as she walked over to him and gave him a big hug. Even though she hadn't had her caffeine fix yet, her naughty side surfaced. "Poor baby. Don't pout. You know I love you for your body too."

He snorted. "My body, huh?"

"Mm hmm" she purred as she slid her arms up around his neck and slipped her fingers into his silky raven hair. She planted several kisses on his jaw as she worked her way up to his ear.

"But you already know that. I love the way you make me feel when we're together." she whispered, smiling when she felt a shiver rack his body. "I love it when you kiss me and when your body is pressed up against mine…"

Suddenly his lips were on hers, his tongue delving in to entwine with hers. She moaned softly as she tipped her head back, encouraging him to kiss her even deeper. He complied, backing her up until she was against the cabinet. The next thing she knew, she was sitting on the countertop and he was standing in between her open legs.

He pulled back with a growl. "You're playing with fire. You know that don't you?"

She grinned devilishly. "I know. But I always have a hard time controlling myself when it comes to you." She pulled his face back to hers and proceeded to kiss him senseless.

It was his turn to moan as her greedy lips seemed to devour his own. Her hands were busy, running over his shoulders and chest before sliding around to rub sensuously up and down his back. He slid his own hands behind her, gripping her rear and pulling her forward, bringing them into closer contact.

Darien knew that they didn't have time for this, but he was about to say to hell with it and haul her back to bed. The scouts and generals would just have to wait for them.

Serena was thinking along the same lines. And Rini would just have to…Uh oh; they forgot that Rini was there.

""Oh, ew, ew, ew!" came the startled cry from the door.

They jumped apart quickly. Serena slipped off the counter and would have gone crashing to the floor if Darien hadn't reached out with his lightning fast reflexes to catch her. They both blushed madly as they observed the thoroughly disgusted teenager that was glaring at them.

Rini let out a huff of annoyance. "I swear, can you two not be in a room together and manage to control your hormones? Ugh, you guys are always embarrassing me. It's a miracle that I have grown up as sane as I have. I honestly think I have the most sex crazed parents in the entire world."

Even though it was a little embarrassing to be caught in a compromising situation by the pink haired teen, Serena and Darien snuck looks at each other and had to fight back their laughter.

Rini sighed loudly. "Go ahead and laugh. That's what you two always do. Even the time one of the maids caught you, you just laughed."

They both began laughing, unable to contain it anymore. Serena laughed so hard that she had tears come to her eyes. "A maid caught us?" she choked out.

"Oops!" Rini exclaimed and slapped a hand over her mouth. "Disregard that. I didn't say anything."

"Riigghht…" Serena drawled out slowly. "Now I have the perfect blackmail material. I'm sure Trista would be glad to know that your letting things about the future slip out."

Surprisingly, instead of getting mad or indignant like she normally would, Rini looked scared. She turned wide, pleading eyes on her future parents. "Please. You can't say anything to her. Things are already messed up enough. If she finds out I opened up my stupid mouth…"

She sat down abruptly in a chair and Serena and Darien were both shocked to see tears come to her eyes. After a moment, a hard, determined look settled on her face. She banged a fist on the table as she ground out. "I already screwed up once. I won't do it again."

After sharing a confused look with Darien, Serena approached her future daughter and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Sweetie, is everything okay?"

Rini stared up at her. Playing this waiting game was killing her. She'd had several conversations with Trista about what they needed to do to restore Jess to the future like she should be, but the time guardian was so cryptic. The only information the she had given Rini was that she had narrowed it down to one incident, one little piece of time that they needed to change. That was all she would say. She told Rini that she would let her know when it was time to act.

Rini had never expected it to drag out this long. She had been on pins and needles for three long weeks. The suspense was becoming unbearable. Thinking about how different her life back home was right now, she broke down.

"Damn it! I'm such a screw up!" she wailed as she laid her head down on the table.

She felt soft, warm arms slip around her and hug her tightly. That just made the tears flow faster. She felt like she was at home and her mother was comforting her. Her beautiful, gentle mother always had a way of making her feel better.

She sat up and twisted in Serena's grasp so that could throw her own arms around the blonde. She sobbed deeply on her shoulder. "Oh mom, how do I always manage to mess everything up?"

Serena looked helplessly at Darien over Rini's head. They had both felt like the girl had had a lot on her mind since she had come back from Crystal Tokyo this last time. Even though she appeared to be the same happy go lucky girl, there had been periods of time when she seemed to become unnaturally silent and withdrawn. That was unlike her, and it had bothered both of them greatly. But since they knew she couldn't tell them if something was wrong in the future, they hadn't asked.

'_What on earth do you think is wrong with her?' _Serena asked Darien silently.

'_I have no idea.'_ Darien replied with a shrug. _'It's probably a girl thing. Maybe you can figure it out.'_

Serena rolled her eyes at him. _'Nice Darien, really helpful.'_

She ran a hand soothingly over the bubble-gum pink locks of hair that were on her shoulder. "It's okay, Rini. Go ahead and cry. I know something's been bothering you, so go on and let it out. It's not good to keep things bottled up inside."

The youthful arms tightened around her and Rini sniffled loudly. "I am a walking disaster. No matter what I do, I mess things up. Sometimes I feel like I'm cursed."

Serena laughed a little at that. "I know what you mean. I've often thought that about myself. If there's a way to screw something up, I'll find it."

Rini sniffled again and raised her head to stare in disbelief into Serena's caring blue eyes with her own reddened ones. "I know you got into a lot of trouble when you were younger, but you're Sailor Moon. You always find a way to fix everything."

Serena shook her head. "I may be Sailor Moon, but I'm far from perfect, sweetie. True I have done things that other people have only ever dreamed of, but trust me, I didn't know what I was doing half the time. A lot of luck was involved"

Rini sighed. "Yeah, I get that. But…"

"No buts." Serena interrupted her. "I know you have a problem of some kind that you're dealing with, and I understand if you can't tell us about it. All I can say is whatever it is, I'm sure you can fix it if you set your mind to it. Just remember that some problems take time to turn around and can't be fixed overnight. I'm here for you if you need to talk, okay?"

Rini gave her one last squeeze before letting go to sit back. She scrubbed at her wet cheeks and smiled a little. "Thanks, Serena. I actually feel better now."

Serena smiled back. "Good. Now go wash your face. You could frighten small children with the way you look right now. You're red and pink all over."

Rini stuck her tongue out at her, but laughed as she pranced from the room, stopping along the way to give Darien a hug as well.

"What was all that about?" he muttered after Rini left the room.

Serena sighed as she sank down into the now vacant chair beside her. "I don't have a clue. But whatever it is must be big. I haven't seen her that upset since the first time she came here. Do you think something's wrong in the future?"

Darien picked up a coffee cup and walked over to set it in front of her. "I would almost be willing to put money on it. I've also noticed that Trista has been around more than usual the last few weeks. She and Rini have slipped off several times to have secret conversations. Rini always seems to be somewhat depressed after she talks to her."

Serena took a long sip of her coffee. Darien had doctored it up for her with chocolate and whipped cream. "I hate seeing her like this. But if there is something going on in the future, there's nothing we can do about it."

He turned back to the stove and returned seconds later with a plate full of food. He placed it in front of her, but instead of digging in ravenously like she usually did, she just pushed it around the plate. That was different. Usually Serena devoured everything sight.

Feeling a little disturbed, Darien sat down next to her and reached for her hand. She jumped a little as she came out of her daze.

"Okay, spill it. What's on your mind?" he demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she retorted as she shoved a bite of the food in her mouth.

"Sure you don't." Darien drawled. "Normally half of that food would already be gone by now. Something's bothering you too and I want to know what it is."

One look into his intense eyes had Serena giving up the pretense. She laid the fork down and sighed. "I'm not sure what it is. I just feel like something's not right. When you mentioned how much Trista's been around and how she and Rini keep sneaking off, it made me think about something strange. Do you ever get that feeling sometimes that someone is watching you?"

Darien shrugged. "Yeah, sure, I guess."

Serena nodded. "Well I've been getting that feeling a lot lately. And every time I look around to see where it's coming from, I see the same person."

Darien was concerned now. "Someone's watching you? Who is it?"

Serena dropped her eyes down to her cup where she was idly running a finger around the rim. "It's Trista. I've caught her staring at me several times. It's really odd. She stares at me so intently. Like she's studying me or something. I have a feeling that she's waiting for something to happen."

Darien wrapped an arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "Come on, Sere. She's probably just worried about you. A lot has happened over the last couple of months. She has an important job watching over the timeline and things are pretty complicated right now. She's probably just stressed with trying to keep an eye on things to make sure they are going as they should."

Serena shook her head. "Maybe you're right. But I still can't shake this feeling that something bad is about to happen."

"Well it's no wonder with everything that's been going on." he told her. "I think we all feel a little paranoid right now. None of us know what expect with this Bastian guy running around. And I'm not entirely sold on the fact that Talon's on our side. It could be another trick. But we've handled tough situations before, and we'll do it again."

She smiled at him. "You're right. I guess I was just feeling down for a second."

She brightened as she remembered her earlier thoughts in the shower. "There's something else I want to talk to you about."

* * *

Raye growled as she looked at her watch and saw that it was 1:00. "I knew it. I just knew that ditzy meatball head wouldn't be on time. She called this meeting, so she should have the common courtesy to show up at the appointed time."

"Oh hush." Jadeite grumbled next to her. "She's not late yet. I think your watch is running fast. Mine says five minutes until one."

"Mine does too." Lita offered, earning herself a glare from the raven-haired priestess. The tall, outspoken woman actually shrank back against Nephrite as she saw flames spring up into those angry violet eyes.

"Oh chill out." Mina snapped. "Lita's right. The clock behind the counter says 12:55. Cut Serena some slack for once, Pyro."

Kunzite chuckled. "She'll be here. Darien is always punctual. He'll drag her here if he has to."

"The outers aren't here yet either." Zoicite observed. "Didn't Serena say that she wanted everybody here?"

Amy nodded. "Yes, she did. Jess and Andrew haven't made it yet either and they're both scheduled to work at 1:15. I would have thought that they would have been here by now too."

The doors to the arcade slid open and the outer scouts walked in. Amara, Michelle, Trista, and Hotaru quickly joined them in the back where the group had claimed the two large adjoining booths.

"So what's up?" Amara asked. "Any ideas what this is about?"

"Not a clue." Mina answered. "We thought you guys might know since you were with Serena at the gallery opening last night."

Michelle shook her head. "No we don't. Serena and the others snuck away from the party early. She called us later and told us to meet her here today."

"One minute left." Raye growled, watching the clock that hung on the arcade's wall. Right on the dot, as the clock hit 1:00, the doors slid open and Serena, Darien, and Rini walked in.

"Told you so." Kunzite said smugly to the fuming Raye.

The three royals joined the group. Rini went to sit beside Hotaru, while Serena and Darien slid into the last two vacant seats. They both looked a little irritated and held themselves stiffly, being careful not to touch each other.

Mina picked up on this immediately since she was in tune with these things. "Is everything okay?" she asked hesitantly.

Serena beamed the widest and fakest smile they had ever seen. "Everything's fine."

They could all smell a lie. The inner scouts in particular knew the signs well. It looked to them like the prince and princess had gotten into a spat of some kind. They wanted to interrogate Serena further to see if they needed to haul Darien into the back alley and rearrange his face, but were interrupted by Lizzy approaching them.

"Hey guys. How are you doing? Can I get you anything?" she asked.

She went around the table taking everyone's orders. After she was done, she turned back to Serena and Darien. "Hey, you went with Andrew last night to that art gallery thing of Jess's, didn't you?"

They both nodded and Darien answered, "Yeah. We went out for a late dinner afterward and then he and Jess took off. Why?"

Lizzy sighed. "I'm a little worried, that's all. We got really busy earlier and I tried to call him to see if he could come help out, but his phone was off. So I ran upstairs to see if maybe he was asleep. I knocked, but didn't get an answer and the spare key wasn't where he usually keeps it. So I tried to call Jess and see if he was with her or if she wouldn't mind coming in early. But her phone was off too. And it's odd that neither one of them have shown up yet. Their shift starts in ten minutes and they both usually come in early to get things ready."

"I'm sure they'll be here soon." Serena told her. "We all had kind of a late night. I bet they just went to grab something to eat before work."

Lizzy smiled in relief. "You're probably right. I'm sure I'm worrying over nothing. It was just strange that the key was missing. Andrew always keeps it in the same spot and he never turns his phone off." She left then to place their orders.

The minute her back was turned, Serena pulled her communicator from her pocket. "She's right. That is weird. I'll try to get them on the communicator. Oh, I hope nothing's happened to them."

Darien's hand covered hers, stopping her before she pushed the button. "Never mind. There they are now."

All eyes turned, and sure enough there were Jess and Andrew coming through the door that led to the stairs to the second floor. Andrew paused at the counter, no doubt getting an earful from his sister, while Jess ran over to them.

"Hey everybody." she chirped happily.

Hellos were heard around the group, followed by Raye's grumbled, "You're late."

Jess just smiled. "Only by a few teensy weensy minutes. I was taking a shower."

Andrew joined them then carrying a tray with drinks on it. "My sister has got to be the most meddlesome person I know." he grouched as he began passing out drinks. "She never knows how to mind her own business."

"Ouch!" he cried suddenly as he was smacked on the back of the head. Lizzy had come up behind him and heard what he said. "What was that for?"

Lizzy just glared at him before shoving the tray with the rest of the drinks on it into Jess's hands. Then she turned and stomped off.

"Damn, I hate when she does that." Andrew muttered, rubbing his head gently.

Jess sat her tray on the table before reaching up to smooth back his damp hair. "Poor baby. Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

Mina's head shot up, her eyes wide as she took in the couple. She noticed that both of them had damp hair and knew that they had both just come from his apartment upstairs. Her eyes widened even more when she saw the secretive smile they shared. A predatory smile appeared on her face. Oh yeah, she knew how to read the signs. They were so busted.

"So how was your evening?" she purred.

All eyes turned to her at the sound of that silky voice. They saw that her bright blue eyes were fixed firmly on Jess and Andrew and she was practically foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog.

Lita smacked herself on the forehead. "Oh boy. Here we go again. Mina's targeted some new victims."

"You two better run, and fast." Serena muttered to the pair. "The love goddess is about to go on a rampage."

The couple backed up as Mina tried to get up from her seat, almost crushing Lita in her attempt.

Kunzite grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back down. "Leave them alone, Mina. They don't need your meddling."

Mina smiled a deceptively sweet smile. "I was just going to have a little chat with Jess. You know, girl stuff. That's all."

"Uh, I can't right now." Jess said, grabbing Andrew's hand and pulling him with her as she walked away. "We've got to get to work." she called over her shoulder.

"You can't hide it from me, Jess!" Mina hollered at the hastily retreating pair. "I can tell about theses things, you know. I'll catch up with you eventually."

Jess and Andrew disappeared into the staff room, but Mina wasn't through yet. Her senses were on high alert, and she was picking up on other signals as well. She leveled her gaze on Serena and Darien, who seemed to shrink under her glare.

"And what's wrong with you two?" she demanded. "We have one couple that have spent weeks denying each other a physical relationship, and now they look like they could jump each other any second. Then we have you guys. Usually you two are practically glued together. Now today you're keeping a polite distance from one another."

By this point she was tugging at her hair in frustration. "What's going on around here? I'm getting all kinds of weird vibes and you're acting funny. It's like I stumbled into Invasion of the Body Snatchers or some other sci fi flick. This isn't normal."

She wailed out this last part a put her head down on the table with a resounding _thunk_. Everyone stared at the bowed golden head for a moment before giggles broke out around the group. Serena reached across the table and patted her fellow blonde on the head.

Mina raised her head to look sadly at her princess. "You have to tell me what's wrong. It'll drive me crazy if you don't."

Serena laughed as she shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. Darien and I just had a little…er…disagreement earlier. There's no sense in you getting so worked up."

Beside Mina, Lita cracked her knuckles. "Do I need to take him out back and teach him a lesson?" she ground out.

"No, no, no" Serena reassured her hastily. "It's nothing like that. We just had a little tiff. No big deal. See?" she hugged Darien's arm close to her. "We're fine."

"If you're sure…" Lita said hesitantly.

Serena waved a hand carelessly. "I'm sure. Now let's drop it. I'm running to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

She slipped out of her seat and headed across the arcade.

'_Coward' _Darien growled silently to her. _'How can you run off and leave me with them after that?'_

Serena replied back smugly. _'Aww…is the poor little prince scared of the big bad sailor scouts? You have your guys there. I'm sure they'll protect you.'_

'_Not funny.' _his voice echoed in her head. _'Look, I know you're still ticked off about earlier. But…'_

'_Stop it right there.' _she cut him off. _'We are not having this conversation right now. We agreed to talk about it later, so we'll talk about it later. I'm not in the mood to discuss it anymore right now.'_

His end stayed silent, so she figured he had given up for now. She glanced over her shoulder, and sure enough saw him sitting in the booth with his arms crossed, staring broodingly out the window while ignoring the glares from the scouts.

Serena giggled to herself. She figured she'd let him twist on that line a little longer before she let him off the hook. She was still a little steamed about their earlier conversation, but she wasn't going to hold it against him.

She bypassed the bathroom and ducked behind the counter instead, heading for the staff room.

Lizzy shot her a quick glance. "Hey Serena, if those two are in there making out, tell them to break it up and get their asses out here. They're on in five minutes."

Serena grinned. "Will do."

She knocked on the door and heard Andrew's voice immediately. "Who is it?"

"It's Serena." she answered.

The door cracked open and Jess looked out. Seeing that Serena was alone, she opened the door wider. "Come on in."

Serena walked in and closed the door behind her. She turned to face the couple with a conspiratorial smile on her face. "You two just have to ignore Mina. She can't help that she's only two steps away from being committed."

"Another damn interfering female." Andrew grumbled. "Maybe she and Lizzy should team up and form their own club. Neither one of them know how to mind their own business."

Jess giggled. "It was like she was possessed or something. I swear I suffered major flashbacks when she tried to come after us. I remember Minako teasing me about you from the first time she saw us playing together in the garden. She hasn't changed one bit."

Serena joined her in laughing. "No she hasn't. But she'll get over it. She's just like a kid with a shiny new toy. The newness will wear off eventually. The only advice I have is to try to avoid her as much as possible and don't tell her anything."

Andrew pushed away from the wall where he was standing. "Trust me, I'm not going near that piranha. I've gotta get to work."

He walked out the door and Jess went to follow. She paused though when Serena laid a hand on her arm to halt her. Serena's sky blue eyes looked deeply into the sapphire gaze of her past daughter's reincarnation.

"I won't be like Mina." she stated. "What's between you and Drew is your business. I just want to know one thing."

"What's that?" Jess asked, returning her gaze steadily.

Serena drew in a deep breath. "Are you happy?"

Jess's eyes softened and a small smile graced her lips. "Oh yes." she sighed. "I'm happier than I ever thought I could possibly be. I didn't think it was possible to be this happy. I know we still have a bad guy to take down, but at this moment I feel like my life is perfect. We are a whacky bunch, but for the first time in two years I feel like I belong somewhere."

Serena felt tears spring to her eyes, but a genuine smile lit up her face. "I'm so glad. I think we all deserve a little happiness."

Her voice turned somewhat melancholy there at the end, snapping Jess out of her happy reverie. Her eyes turned concerned as she looked at the blonde beside her. Serena looked composed on the outside, but anyone could see the conflicting emotions lying just under the surface.

"Uh oh. What's the matter?" Jess asked quickly.

Serena shook her head and tried to smile, but it wasn't very convincing. Jess crossed her arms and pinned her with an intense stare.

Serena finally caved. "All right, I give. Just stop looking at me like that. Honestly! You and Darien don't play fair. Those eyes have the ability to make me spill my guts too easily."

Jess laughed. "Don't try to change the subject. What's up? Something's got you down."

Serena sighed. "A lot of things. Of course the obvious threat, Bastian. But I'm concerned about Rini too. She had a moment this morning and broke down. I feel so helpless. I know something's bothering her, but my hands are tied."

"I know what you mean." Jess said with a nod. "I've noticed a difference in her too. She went shopping with me the other day when I was looking for some shoes to wear last night. We were in a store goofing off and having fun. We were joking around and suddenly she said she had to go to the bathroom. She had tears in her eyes and tried to hide them from me. When she came back I apologized to her thinking that I had offended her somehow, but she said that I hadn't."

"Hmm…" Serena mused. "What were you talking about right before that happened?"

Jess was thoughtfully silent for a moment. "Let's see. We were leaving the store and were passing through the children's clothing department. I don't know why, but the cutest little pink dress caught my eye. I picked it up and told her that I could totally picture her wearing something like that when she was little. Then I think I said something along the lines of one day wanting to have a little boy and a little girl of my own to spoil. And then she just went silent for a moment before hurrying to the bathroom."

Serena cocked her head in confusion. "That's strange. I don't see why she would get upset over that. Maybe it was something else and not what you said that set her off. I'm sure Trista knows, but she wouldn't tell me if I asked."

Jess shuddered. "Speaking of our illustrious Sailor Pluto, I don't remember her being so creepy. She used to smile and talk to me in the past, but now all she does is sit and stare at me all the time. I almost get the feeling that she doesn't trust me or something."

Serena froze at those words. Jess felt like Trista was watching her closely too? What was up with that? She shook it off.

"I'm sure it's nothing like that." she reassured Jess. "She was always very fond of you. I think she's just stressed out like the rest of us."

Andrew's head popped through the door. "Hey, are you coming? Lizzy's going to cover the counter and I told her we would take the tables. That way we can be in on the conversation."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Jess said, walking out while tying on her apron.

Serena stood there for a moment, thinking. That bad feeling she had been having was stronger than ever. She just wished she knew what it meant.

She slipped out of the room and squeezed between Jess and Andrew, who were loading their trays with drinks while having to listen to Lizzy grumble at them.

Laughing to herself, she went to join the others in the back again. She slid in next to Darien, who didn't acknowledge her return at all. He just sat there staring out at the midday traffic.

'_Still pouting?' _she asked him telepathically.

'_I'm not pouting.' _he returned quickly. _'You said that you didn't want to talk, so I was just remaining silent.'_

She heaved a mental sigh. _'I never said that I didn't want to talk. I said that I didn't want to talk about that other subject right now. Big difference.'_

He turned his head to look at her, raising one perfectly arched black brow in that sardonic look that had infuriated her when she was younger. Suddenly she felt like she was fourteen again and he was picking on her. It pissed her off.

Serena jumped up from her seat and glared down at him. "Don't you dare look at me like that, you big jerk!" she screeched, causing the eyes of all of their friends, and most of the other people in the arcade as well, turn to look at them.

"Serena, sit down." Darien hissed, reaching over to grab her wrist.

She jerked her arm away from him. "I'll sit where I want, when I want, buster. And from the way you're acting it won't be next to you."

Darien stood up as well, making Serena loose her vantage point since he stood several inches taller than her. She now had to tilt her head back to look at him. She could tell that he was barely hanging on to his own temper. His blue eyes had darkened to a navy color and were snapping blue flames. A red flush began to color his cheeks as well.

"Serena" he ground out between clenched teeth. "Please sit down. You're causing a scene."

She stepped up close enough to poke him in the chest, but when she spoke her voice was lower than before. "I'm not causing a scene. I'm simply displaying my disapproval of the way you're acting."

Darien growled. "The way I'm acting? Look who's talking. You're the one that stomped all the way over here, keeping at least five feet of space between us at all times."

"I was a little upset at the time." she snapped. "But now I've cooled off. At least I had until you had to start acting like a jackass. We agreed to wait until later to finish our conversation, so I figured there was no use stressing over it. But you just won't let it go."

Jess slipped up unobtrusively next to Rini. "What's going on? What are they fighting about?" she whispered.

Rini smothered a giggle with her hand. "They're just letting off steam. Serena asked Darien today if she could move in to his place permanently, and Darien said he didn't think it was a good idea since he's still in med school and Serena is starting college herself this fall. He thinks they still need that certain degree of separateness to concentrate on their studies. She disagrees."

Hotaru leaned over and whispered, "Hey Rini, help me out. Who should I put my money on?"

Jess then realized that all the scouts and even the generals were all making whispered bets and money was being slipped under the table to Amara who was gathering it in a betting pool. Michelle was writing down the names and amounts and who they were betting on.

If that wasn't bad enough, a large group of college students had gathered nearby. They were all pointing and whispering. Jess could hear some of what they were saying.

"Hot damn! Shields and Tsukino are at it again. Give me ten on Shields."

"Yeah, looks like trouble in paradise. I'll put ten on Shields as well."

"You are both wrong. The war's not back on. They're just having a spat. I'll put my ten on Tsukino. She's got him whipped."

"You've got to be kidding me." Jess exclaimed. "People actually bet on them when they fight?"

"Yep" Rini said with a grin. "They're kind of legendary around here. Didn't Andrew tell you any of the stories?"

Jess nodded weakly. "Yeah, but I didn't know that it was like this."

Rini leaned back over to Hotaru and whispered conspiratorially. "Put your money on Darien. I know my dad well. He's really worked up. He'll put a stop to this real quick."

Hotaru quickly rummaged around in her purse and pulled out a ten and passed it to Amara. "I've got ten to put on the prince."

Andrew came rushing up then. "Man they can still draw a crowd. Am I too late?"

"You just caught me. I was about to call it close." Amara said with a grin.

"Drew" Jess hissed. "You're not seriously betting on them, are you?"

"Are you kidding?" he laughed. "Those two have made me quite a bit of money in the past. I'm not passing on this. Give me twenty on the big guy."

"You got it." Amara replied, plucking the twenty from his hand.

"Unbelievable" Jess muttered. She started getting a weird feeling and looked up to find Trista watching her.

"Why are you staring at me, Trista? Do I have something on my face?" she blurted out a little harsher than she meant to.

Trista blushed a little, looking away and stammering, "N…No. I'm sorry, I was thinking about something else and didn't realize I was staring at you. You must think I'm rude."

Trista seemed genuinely apologetic, so Jess brushed it off as just her being paranoid. "It's fine Auntie Set." Jess said with a wink and a smile as she called Trista by the nickname she had used for her in the Silver Millennium. "I know you have a stressful job keeping an eye on time. I'm just worried about you."

Trista leaned across the table to pat her hand. "Thank you little one, but I'm fine. Time will go as it was meant to."

During all of this, Serena and Darien were still bickering back and forth. It seemed like neither one of them were concerned about causing a scene anymore. Their voices were steadily rising as the insults started flying with full force.

The avid spectators watched in glee. The ones that remembered the showdowns between the couple in the past were still betting as they took in the scene in morbid fascination. Nobody had seen an episode of this drama in years, and they were eating up every moment of it.

"I'm being childish?" Darien yelled in exasperation. "Look who's talking. That's ironic coming from a meatball head like you. Just because you don't get your way, you have to whine like a four year old."

Serena's face was red and her eyes glittered dangerously. "Oh that's rich coming from you. It's always either your way or no way, and it pisses you off if I don't bow down and kiss your feet like everyone else. I'm so sorry your highness." She gave a low mocking curtsey.

Darien's eyes went as hard as flint. "That's it!" he growled in a low, even tone and scooped Serena up in his arms.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked. "Put me down you Neanderthal. I've had just about all I can take of your shit today."

Darien ignored her struggles and looked over to Andrew. "I'm going to borrow your staff room for a few minutes."

Andrew just grinned and nodded as his best friend carried the confined blonde through the crowd. Her wails faded into the distance.

"I'm going to pound his head in!" Lita exclaimed, scrambling out of the booth.

"He can't just carry her off like that!" Amy interjected hotly, getting up as well.

Mina practically jumped over the table. "That overbearing son of a bitch!"

You could almost see steam coming from Raye's ears. "What the hell does he think he's doing?"

They were about to run after them when two figures suddenly blocked their path. Rini and Jess stood in front of them with their arms held wide.

"I think it's best to leave them alone to sort out their own problems." Jess said quietly.

Rini nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, they don't need you four butting in."

Amara, Michelle, and Hotaru laughed from where they were still seated and the generals joined in at the sight of the inner scout's blank faces. Even Trista had a big smile on her face.

"I would listen to the young ones about this." she told them. "They know those two better than any of us."

The four disgruntled women stared at the determined pair in front of them and decided not to press their luck. Grumbling among themselves, they returned to their seats. They hung their heads in defeat as they realized that the fight was being called in Darien's favor thanks to his caveman tactics.

* * *

Darien slammed the door to the staff room behind him. Not an easy thing to accomplish when your arms are full with an angry, struggling woman.

"I am so going to kick your ass for this." Serena panted as she fought to break his hold on her. "I mean it! Put me down right now!"

He sat her on the couch, surprisingly gentle considering the high temper they were both in, and then returned to the door to lean against it.

"That's better." he said smugly.

Her eyes flashed furiously at him. "Are you happy now? What was that macho showing off all about anyway?"

He studied her through deceptively calm eyes. "It seemed that we are destined to have this conversation now whether we want to or not, and I would rather we do it in private instead of having the whole arcade as a witness."

Serena got up from her seat and strode regally across the floor. She approached him and lifted her head haughtily as she sniffed. "Well having this conversation doesn't interest me at the moment. So if you'll please remove yourself from in front of the door. I have a meeting to conduct with my scouts. Feel free to tell your generals whatever you want."

He didn't move an inch. "You're not leaving this room. Not until we hash this out."

Her eyes narrowed. "You wanna bet. You standing in front of that door won't stop me."

She stomped over to the window and began wrestling with it. It took a few pulls. But she finally succeeded in sliding it open enough for her to slip through.

That got Darien's attention. "You wouldn't dare." he ground out.

She tossed him an imperious look at him over her shoulder. "Oh yeah. Try me. I'm feeling entirely overwhelmed right now and I don't feel like being pulled into another fight with you today. Perhaps you're right and we should retain a certain amount of distance. I'll be returning to my parent's house tonight. Rini can stay with you if she wants. I was thinking that maybe Hotaru could come and stay with me."

She hopped up onto the windowsill. It was a small drop to the alley below. She would go out the window and walk around the building and go back through the front entrance since he was too stubborn to move from the door.

Just as she was about to drop, warm arms encircled her from behind, pulling her off the ledge and up against his firm chest.

He leaned down to breath against her ear. "Serenity, please don't."

She froze. She had never heard Darien sound like this. But a hundred memories of Endymion whispering her name brokenly in that exact same tone skittered across her mind.

As much as they had loved each other, Serenity and Endymion had fought quite a bit during their relationship. Their insecurities and the stress of how they had to live would spill over, resulting in several clashes of wills.

It had affected both of them deeply. And for all of his strength, Endymion in particular had a hard time dealing with it. He would turn resentful and start acting unreasonable over tiny, inconsequential things. This felt just like one of those times.

"Please forgive me." he whispered against her temple. "I am a world class idiot."

Serena turned in his arms to look up at him. Strong emotions were burning in his eyes. The anger was still there, but it seemed to be directed more toward himself now instead of at her. But there was something else in that midnight gaze, something more overpowering.

She jolted a little when she realized what it was. It was fear. Not only could she see it, but also she could feel it rolling off of him in pulsating waves. It startled her.

She laid a hand against his cheek. "What are you afraid of?"

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Everything. I'm really a selfish bastard deep inside. I feel that I have so much more to lose this time if something goes wrong. Not just you and our friends, but Rini, Jess, and Andrew as well. Our whole future could change in the blink of an eye."

Serena pulled him close and wrapped her arms tight around him. "I know, my love." she soothed him. "I have the same feelings. But we just have to hope that we can overcome this. Pushing me away is not the answer."

His arms squeezed her tightly. "I know. I'm such a jackass. I've never wanted anything more than to be able to wake up to your beautiful face every morning and to be able to lie beside you each night. I finally have that chance, and I'm letting my fears get in the way. What kind of idiot does that?"

Serena pulled back slightly and giggled. "Only you, my prince. In two lifetimes I have never met a more complex, yet amazingly obtuse man. I don't get why you're so against me moving in with you when you just told me that is what you want more than anything."

A chuckle left him. "Blame Endymion. That's where all of this is coming from. His dream is coming true, but it seems too good to be real. I can't help but worry about what's coming. The thought of tasting the bliss of having us living together without ridicule from anyone and then having it taken away scares me."

Serena kissed him gently on the lips. "You really are an idiot. I have practically been living with you since you came home from school. And trust me, if I were to move in officially, there would be ridicule. My dad would make sure of that. But if you are uncomfortable with this, I'll respect your wishes and wait."

Now he kissed her. "You would be okay with that?"

She smiled. "If that's what you want. I want us both to be happy when we decide to make things permanent."

He gave her his lopsided grin. "Good. That makes my decision that much easier."

Serena sighed inwardly. She had really hoped to move into the apartment, but she wasn't going to force herself on him. "Okay, so that's taken care of. I just want us to be happy."

His grin turned devilish. "You know what would make me happy right now?"

"What?" she wondered.

"To take you straight to your parents house and grab all of your stuff before your dad gets home from work." he stated simply.

Her eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

He laughed at her incredulous expression. "I said I've changed my mind and I want you to move in with me."

"Are you serious?" she blurted out. "You said that you wanted to wait. I thought that you were afraid that having me around all the time would interfere with your studying. I distinctly remember you saying that I would be too much of a distraction if I was there. You also said…"

He kissed her firmly, cutting off her rambling. When he pulled away several seconds later, she stared at him with dazed eyes.

"Why the change of heart?" she murmured.

He shook his head. "It's not really a change of heart. It's more like me getting rid of the insecurities of the past and taking advantage of the happiness that this second chance has to offer. School was just an excuse. And like you pointed out, you're practically living there already. I would be stupid to pass on the chance of having you in my bed every night."

Serena put a mock hurt expression on her face. "So you just want a live in bed warmer?"

"Absolutely" he replied with a wide smile. "But I'll take the rest of you too."

He leaned down to kiss her once more, but was stopped by her fingers as she placed them on his lips.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I don't want you to feel like you have to do this."

His eyes met hers steadily. "I'm doing this because I want to. I figure we've paid our dues and then some. I'm sure there's more to come, but I the meantime I'm going to count my blessings and grab every bit of happiness I can get. But I need you to do that. You are my happiness."

Serena squealed and threw her arms tightly around his neck. "Oh my gosh! I don't believe this. This has got to be the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Darien took one look at her glowing face and suddenly felt lighter than he ever remembered feeling before. This was a big step for both of them. But now that he had gotten over his initial fear, it felt right.

Serena grabbed his hand and began hauling him to the door. "Come on. I'm starved. Let's eat and get this meeting over with so we can go home."

They eased open the door and peeked out cautiously. They couldn't have been in there long, but the lunch rush seemed to be over. The arcade was virtually empty now except for their group, three guys at another booth, and a handful of kids playing games.

Andrew was behind the counter and he looked up with a grin as he heard the door creak slightly. "About time you two came out. I'm not sure how much longer your guard dogs can hold the others back."

"What?" the couple questioned, looking toward their group of friends. They were shocked to see both Rini and Jess blocking the aisle between the tables, preventing any of the scouts from being able to sneak off to snoop on them like they often did.

Andrew gave a quiet laugh. "Yeah, Raye, Mina, Lita, and Amy were out for blood when you carried Serena off, Darien. But those two jumped in front of them and have refused to let anyone by. It's been quite amusing."

As they watched, Raye slid from her seat and walked toward the two obstructing her path. The former and the future princess closed ranks.

"Give it up, Raye." Rini told her. "You're not going anywhere near that room."

Raye tossed her hair behind her shoulder with a sniff. "Oh please. I'm just going to the bathroom. I could care less what those two idiots are bickering about."

Jess snorted. "Yeah, right, and I'm the Queen of England. Can it Pyro and sit down."

Red rage spread over Raye's face. "You two can't keep me from going to check on my friend."

Figuring it was time to intervene before an all out sailor scout brawl ignited, Serena and Darien left the staff room and made their way back to their friends.

"All right you two, you can let them through now." Serena said with a laugh.

Rini and Jess both turned to look at them. At the sight of the couple standing there hand in hand, they both grinned and nodded. Serena and Darien both paused for a second at the sight of the almost identical happy expressions on their faces. In that moment they truly looked like they could really be sisters.

Rini returned to her seat while Jess joined Andrew at the counter. Darien and Serena reclaimed their seats under the watchful eyes of their friends.

"Okay, spill it Meatball Head." Raye fumed as soon as they got settled. "What's the verdict?"

Lita smacked a fist into her palm. "Yeah, do we get to kick his ass or not? Rini and Jess wouldn't let us come after you, so we're clueless."

Serena put a serious look on her face, but her eyes danced in amusement. "Serves you right. At least they know how to honor a person's right to privacy. But if you must know, everything's fine. We had a little disagreement, but we were able to work it out on our own without any interference from you guys."

The inner scouts all hung their heads. They knew that they all meddled too much in their princess's life, but their instinct to protect her was ingrained deep within them. It really was silly. They knew that Darien would never harm a hair on her head, and she was quite capable of handling him.

"Sorry" the four women muttered.

Serena laughed at them. "You're forgiven. I have to admit that I was kind of shocked when you guys didn't come barreling in after us like you usually do. Oh good, here comes lunch. I'm starving."

It took Lizzy, Andrew, and Jess to carry all of the food over to them. The conversation turned light hearted again as plates were passed to the proper person. Mina's eyes glittered with renewed vigor as Jess leaned across the table to set a club sandwich in front of Kunzite.

"So Jess," she drawled, "are you at least going to throw me a small bone? I don't have to have details. Just a little something, please."

Jess sighed. "Really Mina. My sex life is none of your concern."

"Ah ha!" Mina crowed in triumph. "So you admit you have a sex life. I knew it! The Love Goddess knows all."

Jess surprisingly kept her cool. Only a small blush stained her cheeks. "Maybe I do, and maybe I don't. It's still none of your business."

"Oooo" Mina moaned. "Why is everyone torturing me today? It's not fair. Just give me a one word summary, good, bad, or decent."

A dangerous smile appeared on Jess's lips as she picked up another plate from the tray. "Mina, darling. Would you like to eat your lunch today, or would you rather wear it?" She held the plate over Mina's head.

"You wouldn't dare!" Mina shrieked, using her arms to cover her golden hair.

"Try me." Jess replied in a cool, even tone. "I said earlier that everyone has a right to their privacy. My life is my business, so you need to butt out." She sat the plate down in front of Mina with a thunk.

A round of applause sounded from the group. Mina had a way of superimposing people and twisting them around. It wasn't often that someone other than Kunzite could stand up to her and walk away the victor.

"Very well executed." Kunzite said with a nod. "I couldn't have done it better myself."

Jess grinned at him. "I've had a little experience with dealing with meddlesome, but well meaning people. My mom was the worst. If she saw me talking to a guy, or one called my house, she would go completely bonkers, asking a million questions. She and Mina would have gotten along beautifully. My dad on the other hand was the exact opposite. He would go psychotic if he even saw a guy glance at me. So I'm used to it."

Serena and Darien were watching the good-natured bantering between their friends while they ate. At Jess's words, Darien remembered something that Serena had said earlier.

He leaned over to whisper to her, "Speaking of psychotic fathers, what are we going to do about yours? He'll probably come after me with his shot gun for this."

Serena just smiled. "Let me worry about it. I'll go over there tomorrow. My mom is on our side, so I think she'll be able to keep dad from doing anything stupid."

Darien visibly gulped. He sure hoped Serena was right. He had fought wars and faced evil beings of all kinds, but the thought of facing an enraged Ken Tsukino scared him to death.

So the rest of the day passed uneventfully with the friends enjoying the company and camaraderie of each other. But through the laughs and the smiles, you could see the underlying tension.

The end of this adventure was coming. They could all feel it. The final battle was fast approaching. What awaited our heroes, and who would be standing in the end? These were the questions that none of them had the answers to. All they could do is wait and see what would happen next.

**A/N **Dum dum dum…what will happen next? Will Rini crack under the stress and go jump off a bridge? Will animal control have to come after Mina and put her out of everyone's misery? Should we just call the men in white coats to come and haul all of them away? Hmm…we'll see. Thanks for reading, and remember Reviews = Happy Sere-chan. Catch you all later!

~Sere~


	25. The Storm Breaks

**A/N **Hey everyone! Happy New Year! I hope all of you had a great holiday season. I know I've kept you waiting for this, but I hope it's worth it. I've got a nice long chapter for you here. Lots of stuff happening. This was kind of hard to write because I had to make some major changes from my original notes. Since I have decided to do the sequel, I decided to drop some hints about what will be coming up in it. I look forward to what 2010 holds for all of us. For those of you that don't know, I have had a poll running on my profile for a while about my upcoming projects. Right now, the sequel to this story (as of now being called The Galactic Trinity) is tied for first place with another one of my stories for what you guys want me to work on next. Descriptions for my new stories are found on my profile, so if you want to, take a moment to visit my page and vote so I know what you want me to work on next. Okay, enough babbling. Hug time. BIG HUGS TO:

**ange de l'aube**

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Thank you so much! Now on with the story.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 25

The Storm Breaks

The night sky over Tokyo was dark. It was the night of the new moon and the only illumination came from the twinkling of stars. If anyone had been paying attention they might have seen a brief flash of light from the window of an apartment on the top floor of a tall building. But at 3 am the streets were empty.

Two figures materialized in the living room of the high-rise apartment. After glancing around quickly to make certain that they were alone, they proceeded down a long hallway. One of the figures hurried quicker than the other to the door at the end of the hall. Placing a hand on the door, it felt the two slumbering consciousnesses behind it.

The woman that was inside of the closed room was deeply asleep. But the man stirred as if he sensed the intruding presences in his home.

The dark figure standing at the door muttered a few softly spoken words and a golden glow seemed to surround him as it penetrated the door to encompass the sleeping occupants. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt both of the individuals slip into such a deep sleep that an explosion wouldn't wake them.

He hurried back to his companion that was waiting by another door and whispered, "They're both deeply asleep. They shouldn't wake until I release them from the spell."

"Good" the female figure said. "I would hate to think of them waking up to find her gone. It would raise too many questions."

The male figure nodded as he turned the knob to enter another bedroom. His eyes softened as he saw the peacefully sleeping teenage girl lying on the bed. He crossed to her quickly and lightly shook her shoulder.

"Rini" he whispered. "Wake up, Rini. We need you."

The girl rolled over, mumbling in her sleep, and making the man chuckle softly. He leaned over the bed and pressed a light, chaste kiss to the pink haired princess's lips. Her eyes flew open to reveal very surprised maroon irises. She relaxed when she was able to make out the intruder in the dim light.

"Helios!" she exclaimed in a loud whisper. "What in the world are you doing here?"

The white haired priest cocked his head to one side and grinned at her. "Maybe I just wanted to see my princess. Is that all right with you?"

She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "You know it's okay with me, but I'm just surprised. You know my dad is the lightest sleeper in the world. So don't be shocked if Darien comes storming through that door in a few seconds." She felt his body shake as he laughed lightly.

He lowered his lips to her ear and whispered. "I don't think we have to worry about your parents tonight. I took out a little insurance to make sure we're not discovered."

Rini pulled back with a look of confusion on her face. "What's going on, Helios?"

The second person stepped forward from the shadows, making her presence known. "The time has come, Rini. We must act now in order to start restoring the future as it should be."

Rini nodded her head. "I'm ready, Puu. What do you need me to do?"

Sailor Pluto regarded her young princess with a smile. "We're going to change fate tonight. If everything goes as planned, everyone will still be alive at the end. In any case, this ordeal will be finished in forty-eight hours, one way or another. To start the events that will hopefully end with Jess restored to her proper place in Crystal Tokyo, I am in need of some moon magic. You said I could count on you when the time came. Are you still in?"

Rini reached over and grabbed her broach off of the bedside table. Clutching it tight, she grinned at the time guardian. "You bet I am. What do we do?"

Pluto returned her grin with satisfaction. "Transform and come with us. We have a lot of work to do."

Rini jumped from the bed. Holding her broach up she called out, "Crescent Moon Power!"

There was a burst of light and energy as pink ribbons slithered around, encompassing the young girl's body. Helios blushed and looked away. His maiden obviously didn't realize how much of her body was exposed during her transformation process. He had waited a long time for her and here she was practically grown. Even though there was an understanding between them that they would some day wed, he had promised King Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity that he would wait until the princess was eighteen before making the relationship formal. But even the usually composed high priest of dreams had his limits.

The power faded and Sailor Crescent Moon now stood in the center of the room clad in her fuku. Of course the short skirt and skintight body suit didn't leave a whole lot to the imagination either.

"Okay, I'm ready." Crescent Moon said.

Helios held out his hand to her and she took it with a shy smile. There was a flash of white light. When it faded, the three occupants had vanished from the room.

* * *

Bastian knelt before the mist. "You sent for me, master?"

"Yes" the deep voice replied. "Our time has come. It is written in the stars that the time for our victory is now. Tonight we will succeed in breaking the one that holds the power that we seek and we will become the rulers of this world. Are you ready, my faithful subject?"

Bastian bowed his head. "I am yours to do with as you please, my lord."

There was a long moment of silence, and then, "So you are completely committed to me and our cause?"

Bastian raised his head. "Absolutely. I owe you my life. If not for you I would have died centuries ago. I exist for nothing more than to see those of the Silver Millennium destroyed and for us to take our rightful place as the leaders of this planet. The whole galaxy will be ours to command."

A hissing sound filled the chamber and the mist began to swirl quickly. "Then give yourself over to the power, Bastian. Together, we will be unstoppable."

"Yes" the red headed man growled. "I want the power. I want it all. Please master, give me the power to overthrow our enemies."

There was a dark chuckle. "As you wish."

The dark mist surrounded Bastian, swirling and snapping with unrestrained dark power. It sank into his body, entering through his nose and mouth and the very pores of his skin. He closed his eyes and arched his back as he felt the strength of the energy humming through his blood.

'_Now we are one.' _a voice whispered through his head. _'Talon was too much of a weakling to let me act through him. But you, Bastian, you let your greed and lust for power consume you. You have served your purpose well, but now it's my turn."_

An unearthly scream left Bastian as he felt his consciousness fade into oblivion. When the dark energy disappeared, the mist was gone. It had completely taken over Bastian's body. His red hair was now streaked with black and when his eyelids opened they revealed eyes that were a glowing blood red.

"Finally" he breathed. "After millennia of waiting, my revenge will be complete. I will start by killing the granddaughter of those who sought to imprison me and take her power. Then the whole universe will bow to me."

He was so wrapped up in his own musings that he failed to see the dark figure lurking outside the door.

'_Bastian, you idiot!' _Talon fumed. _'I can't believe he allowed himself to be possessed like that. He has no idea what he has done. He has just condemned everyone to death. I don't even think the princess can take him down now.'_

At that thought, he knew that the others had to be warned. This had just turned into a war that far surpassed anything they could have imagined. Victory had seemed possible while the evil entity had been without a body. But now that it had possessed Bastian, it may all be hopeless.

Talon hurried to his chamber and began arming himself. He had felt his magic weakening with every day that passed and knew that it would be unreliable in a fight, but luckily he was a highly skilled fighter. He wouldn't be going into this final battle completely helpless. He slid his favorite sword into the scabbard at his side and stuck several daggers and other weapons into the belt at his waist.

The sound of the door creaking open behind him had him whirling around quickly with his hand reaching for the hilt of his sword. He paused when he saw the person that slipped inside.

"What are you doing here, Anya?" he demanded.

The dark haired woman surveyed him with wide, sad brown eyes. "You're leaving, aren't you? You're going to them."

Talon sighed. "Yes. Bastian has been possessed and he's planning on destroying everything. I can't stand by idly and allow that. I have been wrong for so many centuries, and now I must do what I can to make it right."

Anya stepped forward and laid a gentle hand on his scarred cheek. "I always new that there was a better man hidden deep inside you. I had hope that one day you would realize it and break free of that monster's hold."

Talon turned surprised eyes on her. Anya had been a source of companionship over the centuries. She had always been there to listen to him when he needed someone to talk to. She had also given herself willingly to him when he had need of physical release, but there had never been any feelings involved other than deep friendship.

He brushed her hand aside. "Don't kid yourself, Anya. There's nothing good about me. I just think it's time to put an end to all of this. My soul is damned no matter what I do now."

He turned back to his weapons and continued to gather what he needed. He jumped in shock a moment later when soft, slender arms embraced him around the waist from behind. Anya laid her head against his back between his shoulder blades and sighed.

"I know you must think me silly." she whispered brokenly. "This may not be the best time to be honest with you, but I feel I must. It may be my last chance to tell you."

Talon turned around to face her. "What are you talking about?"

Anya blushed furiously and looked down. "I…I love you, Talon. I have since we were children. Our parents were close friends and you were like my big brother when we were growing up. I knew that you would never see me as anything other than a friend, especially after Beryl caught your eye, but I have always continued to have feelings for you."

Talon was floored. He had never expected anything like this to come from his childhood playmate. He lifted her chin to look into her teary, coffee colored eyes and saw the hurt and longing that resided there. He didn't know what to say to her, so he pulled her into a tight embrace. He soon felt her tears seeping through his shirt.

"I'm sorry." she sniffled, her voice muffled in his chest. "I have lousy timing. I never meant to tell you this at all, but I'm just so scared that you won't come back. I couldn't let you go without telling you how I feel."

Talon closed his eyes as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. Had he really been so blind over the years? He had chased Beryl shamelessly, panting after her like a dog, even through the times that she had ridiculed and betrayed him. After her defeat he had turned his thoughts to power and revenge, until a certain blue-eyed princess had helped him see the world through her innocent eyes. He had never realized what he had in front of him the whole time. He was a fool.

"Shh" he soothed the now shaking woman in his arms. "There's no need to get so upset. I should have seen it before. I have feelings for you as well. You are one of the few of our clan that have managed to stay pure and not become consumed by hate and greed. We'll talk more if I return."

Anya pulled back to look at him with wary eyes. "You don't have to patronize me. I know that I have no place in your life. Just promise me that you'll come back."

Talon kissed her forehead gently. "I can't make any promises. This will be a brutal fight and the old one is no longer fueling my powers. I don't know how this will turn out. But I promise to try my best to return. You have just given me a new reason to fight. And by the way, I'm not patronizing you."

Her face brightened for a moment and then turned thoughtful. "Take me with you. I can help. You need another person to boost your powers. Why not me?"

He seemed to consider it for a moment before he shook his head. "No. I can't do that. It would be too dangerous. You haven't done any real magic in centuries. I don't deny that you are a powerful sorceress and could be a great help, but I won't put you in danger like that."

Anya raised her chin and her eyes turned defiant. "Either you take me with you, or I will follow you. Take your pick. You can't expect me to just let you walk away after you just admitted to having feelings for me."

Talon groaned. "You wouldn't really follow me into a battle, would you?"

She gave him a deceptively sweet smile. "Oh yeah, try me."

He shook his head, knowing that it was useless to fight her on this. "Fine. But you are there just for support. I expect you to stay far away from the fighting, understand?"

She kissed him quickly on the lips. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say."

"I know I'm going to regret this." Talon muttered as he picked up a lightweight sword and handed it to her. "Just in case you need it. Do you remember how to use it?"

"It's just like riding a bike." she replied, swinging the sword around her body expertly. "Don't worry, I still remember the lessons you gave me when we were younger."

He held out a hand to her. "All right then. Let's go."

She placed her small hand in his and they disappeared from the underground lair.

* * *

"Hey Sere, where do you want these?" Jess called out as she pushed the apartment door open with her foot and walked in with two fairly large boxes stacked in her arms.

Serena ran from the living room to see what was written on the boxes before giving out instructions. "Let's see, I think…yep, they both go in the spare room."

"Okie dokie" Jess said as she walked down the hallway to the room that used to be Darien's spare bedroom, but was quickly turning into a replica of Serena's pink and white bedroom at her parent's house.

Jess had just reached the door and was about to walk through it when another person stepped out. They collided and went falling to the floor along with the boxes.

"Hey! Watch it you klutz!" Rini shrieked. "You didn't have to run me over."

"Me a klutz?" Jess snapped back. "You're the one who stepped out without looking first, cotton candy head."

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Whatever!" Rini said, tossing her long pink hair back over her shoulder as climbed back to her feet. She walked over to the room that was hers when she stayed there and slammed the door behind her.

Jess sat there in shock for a moment before muttering, "What the hell's wrong with her?"

Darien and Andrew walked into the hall, each carrying a couple of boxes, and stopped short at the sight of Jess sitting on the floor and the fallen boxes close by.

Andrew chuckled. "Do I even want to know?"

"Can it, Drew." Jess growled with a glare. "If you must know, I just had a run in with Hurricane Rini."

The last part was said loudly toward the closed door. There was a moment of silence before there was a thump like a shoe had been thrown at the door. It was followed by a muffled. "Shut up, Jess!"

The three in the hallway laughed as Andrew set his boxes down and helped Jess to her feet. They all quickly stowed the boxes in the room before returning to the living room where Serena was unpacking some things.

There were a few subtle changes to the once sparsely decorated room, but it definitely seemed warmer and more inviting now. There were a few more pictures hanging on the walls now and some knick-knacks scattered around on tables and shelves. Colorful throws were draped over the backs of the two black couches and were accented by throw pillows at the ends.

Jess nodded in approval. "Much better. I knew this room had possibilities. You're pretty good at this Serena. Maybe you should go to school for interior decorating."

Serena laughed. "Are you kidding? I'll probably be lucky to make it past my required courses. With my school history, I'll flunk out in the first semester."

Darien reached over and pulled on a strand of her long blonde hair. "A couple of years ago I would have agreed with you, but you really did a turn around in high school. You'll be fine."

Serena snatched her hair from his hand. "We'll see. If Amy can manage to squeeze in some tutoring I may be okay. But have you seen the list of classes she's going to be taking? She's insane. I don't see how one person could take that many classes and still have time to breath."

"Her class load is no worse than mine have ever been." Darien told her. "I did the same number of classes every semester and it paid off. Now I'm only one semester away from starting my internship while other people my age are just starting med school."

Serena stuck her tongue out at him. "That's because you're a brainiac. Not many people graduate high school two years early and then jump right into a serious college career."

"Hey" Jess protested, "I take offense to that. I graduated early and went straight to college and I don't consider myself to be a genius."

"I guess now wouldn't be a good time to tell her that you were valedictorian." Andrew hissed in a loud stage whisper.

"Ugh" Serena moaned. "I'm surrounded by smart people. Well did you highly educated individuals manage to get everything out of the cars?"

"Yes we did, no thanks to you." Darien teased her. "That was the last of it that Drew and I just brought in."

"Thank goodness." Jess sighed as she flopped down onto one of the sofas and closed her eyes. "I'm bushed."

Andrew sat down next to her and nudged her in the ribs. "What's up with you? You usually have enough energy to run a ten mile marathon before going on an all day shopping spree at the mall and still be able to take out three youma before bedtime."

She cracked open an eyelid to squint at him. "I'm just tired, okay?"

Serena took a good look at her and saw a fine sheen of sweat that covered the other girl's face. Her breathing also seemed slightly labored as well, and that worried Serena. She walked over and felt Jess's forehead. It felt slightly warmer than usual.

"I hope you're not coming down with anything." Serena mused. "I heard there's a nasty flu bug going around."

Jess pulled back from Serena's cool hand with a laugh. "I'm fine. I'm not sick. I'm just having an off day. I guess I didn't sleep as well as I thought I did last night."

Serena backed up a few steps. "If you're sure…"

Jess let out a pent up breath. "I'm sure Serena. I'm eighteen years old, not five. I think I would know if I was coming down with something. Geez, you're as bad as Dawn and Nebula. God forbid if I sneeze around them. They act like it's the end of the world. I wish people would quit treating me like a china doll. I'm made of stronger stuff than that."

Seeing the hurt look on Serena's face she sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so crabby. I've just felt really weird all day. I think something big is about to go down. I think the end is coming. I have been preparing for this for five years, but now I feel so weak. I don't think I'll be able to beat this."

The other three looked at each other in surprise at the hopeless sound in her voice. None of them knew what to say to her. She was usually so confident in her abilities, so this was definitely unexpected.

"Oh please, quit the pity party. You'll never accomplish anything if you just sit around and mope." a voice suddenly joined in. Everyone turned to find Rini standing in the doorway glaring at Jess.

Jess returned her glare. "What do you know about it, pipsqueak? This may look like moping to you, but I can assure you it's not."

Rini narrowed her eyes. "It better not be. There's a lot riding on you, so you better get your ass in gear and do your job. Don't even think about running away from it."

Jess stood up from her seat and observed the teenage girl in front of her. Her eyes darkened until they resembled cold blue steel. "Are you calling me a coward?"

Rini shrugged. "You said it, not me. I'm just trying to make you see reality. There's more than your life at stake here. You can't start having doubts now. If you do…well, lets just say it won't be pretty."

Jess's anger faded and she chuckled. "You sure have big mouth. It's amazing that your parents don't beat you on a daily basis." She winked at Serena and Darien and they grinned back.

Rini's face softened as well and she giggled. "I had a great teacher. And as for my parents, let's just say I've had my fair share of punishments and leave it at that. I just want you to know that I believe in you. You never back down and you never give up. You can't lose that determination now."

Jess reached out and ruffled Rini's hair playfully. "I never thought I would be getting a pep talk by someone younger than me. Don't worry, Rini, I'm not going anywhere. Like I told the others earlier, I'm just having an off day. I think I'm just tired. I have felt clumsy and disoriented all day."

Rini turned her head quickly so nobody would see the expression of guilt that crossed her face as she remembered her nocturnal adventure the night before. She knew why Jess felt so disconnected, but she had sworn to Pluto to not say anything. It was eating her up inside, but Jess would find out soon enough.

"Well I don't know about the rest of you, but after all of this moving I feel like having pizza." Darien announced. "My treat. So who's in?"

Predictably, Serena and Rini were the first ones to agree as they each grabbed Darien by an arm and began dragging him to the door. Jess was right behind them with Andrew, but moving a lot slower than she usually would.

She stumbled into Andrew as they walked through the door and then tripped twice as they made their way down the hall to the elevator, causing Andrew to have to hold on to her to keep her from becoming intimately acquainted with the carpet.

"What the hell?" she grumbled as they waited for the elevator. "I don't remember being this klutzy even when I was going through my awkward early teen stage."

"Remind me to take a look in your ears when we get back." Darien told her. "You might have the beginnings of an ear infection. If fluid has built up in there it could throw your equilibrium off. That could be why you feel so tired and are having trouble with your balance."

Jess smacked herself on the forehead. "Of course. I should have known that. I've had enough ear infections in my life to know to know the signs." Her face turned thoughtful for a second before she giggled. "Actually I should say both lives. I seem to remember that Melody was prone to them as well."

Serena groaned. "Don't remind me. All those sleepless nights about killed me. That reminds me, are you still allergic to lilies?"

Jess laughed. "Am I ever. My mom planted a bunch of them in the flowerbed outside my bedroom window when I was about ten. It took my parents three weeks to figure out the reason why my eyes were all red and puffy and I was sneezing all the time. My dad went out and pulled them all up and then burned them. Mom was crushed, she thought that maybe she could move them farther away from the house and they wouldn't bother me, but dad wasn't going to have them anywhere around."

A few tears sprang to her eyes as she thought back on the memory. Andrew tightened his arm around her as she quickly wiped the corners of her eyes.

"I'm fine." she reassured him. "It doesn't hurt as much as it used to when I think about them." Her face brightened as they heard a ding and the door opened. "On to the pizza. I want one with the works."

"Eww!" Serena and Rini exclaimed.

"All of those vegetables ruin the flavor." Serena proclaimed.

Rini nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. I like pepperoni."

The great debate over what kind of pizza was best ensued as the doors slid shut.

* * *

Sailor Pluto stood looking out of one of the windows of the Crystal Palace, watching the bustling city as it went about its business. On the outside, everything seemed to be business as usual. Inside the palace, the somber mood gave testament to the uncertainty and the stress.

Pluto sighed. She hadn't had the heart to tell Rini how bad things had deteriorated here when she asked. The young girl had enough responsibility weighing on her shoulders as it was.

A door behind her opened and she turned to see King Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity leaving a room. Both of their faces were lined with worry.

"How is he doing?" she asked them.

Serenity shook her head. "Not good at all. Darien's having to keep him sedated."

"It's the best thing for him." Endymion said. "I think he would lose his mind if he were coherent."

Serenity's heart ached for her friend that lay in the room behind the door. Poor Andrew had watched his wife disappear in front of his eyes. And then to add insult to injury, he had to watch both of his children fade away into nothingness as well. It was more than enough to bring even the strongest man to his knees.

Serenity fought the urge to break down as well. She had lost more than just the reincarnation of her past daughter when Jess vanished from this time. She had lost one of her best friends and confidantes. She had been closely attached to the twins as well. They had looked to her as a favorite aunt, and she had spoiled them shamelessly.

Pluto regarded her king and queen with a heavy heart. "It is all coming to an end in the past. The final battle will start tonight. Win or lose, it will all be decided in a little over twenty four hours."

"Let's hope everything turns out all right." Serenity sighed as she leaned against Endymion's shoulder. "Are you sure Rini will be okay?"

Pluto nodded. "The princess will be fine. I would never risk her unnecessarily."

"We're not questioning you, Trista." Endymion reassured her. "But as parents we are concerned of course."

Pluto smiled at them both. "I wouldn't expect you to be any other way. I will take my leave now to return to the past. I must be there to make sure things go as planned."

"I want to go too." a new voice entered the conversation. A boy with unruly black hair and wide, light blue eyes joined them. "I can help. I want to go."

"Absolutely not!" Pluto, Serenity, and Endymion all exclaimed at once.

"You are only fifteen years old." Serenity raged. "There is no way that you are going."

"Aw man! That's not fair." the boy complained. "Rini's been going back for years. The first time she went to the past she didn't even have her powers yet. She was stealing them from the Silver Crystal. At least I know how to use my powers. I've been practicing hard."

"You heard our answer." Endymion said firmly. "Now I think it's best if you just walk away and forget that you heard this conversation."

"Whatever" the boy said and slouched away down the hall, disappointment evident in the way that he held his body.

"He can't help it, you know." Mina said as she joined the group. "He's mourning for her and wants to try to help bring her back. I know they're young, but she is his other half. There has been a connection between them since they were little."

Serenity closed her eyes as she thought about the girl with the long, light blonde hair and sparkling hazel eyes that was causing the teenage boy so much pain. "I know you have deemed them soul mates, Mina, but he is not going to the past. Just having Rini there helping Trista manipulate the timeline is risk enough."

"Indeed" Pluto replied. "We are walking a fine line right now. We don't need any other outside interferences. With luck, this will all be behind us soon."

She turned and walked away, guilt gnawing away at her insides. She hated lying to them. The events that were about to unfold in the past were more serious than she would have them believe. Everyone was in danger, some of them purposefully so thanks to her manipulations.

"I'm sorry, my queen." she whispered. "I hope you can forgive me for what I have done and what I'm about to do."

* * *

The group of five left the local pizzeria laughing. After the seriousness earlier, it had been nice to get away for a while and have fun. They had gorged themselves on pizza until even Serena, Rini, and Jess thought that they would pop if they ate any more.

They were all walking back to Darien's apartment, planning on watching a movie together before they called it a night, when the earth suddenly shook beneath their feet. At the same moment, three sets of beeps could be heard.

Looking around to make sure there was no one nearby to hear them, the three girls flipped open their communicators to answer the call.

"Moon here."

"Crescent Moon"

"Shadow"

Several other voices chimed in as the scouts reported in one by one. Sailor Venus's soot blackened face filled the small screen.

She hurriedly filled them in. "Bastian just launched an attack down at the docks. He has several youma with him and he just blew up one of the old warehouses. Something about him is different this time. He seems to be more powerful than ever."

"Sit tight and try to keep off his radar. We'll be there as quick as we can." Serena told her. "Let's go guys."

They all took off in the direction of the waterfront. The streets were crowded, making it impossible for them to find a place for them to transform. They finally found their opportunity when they reached the first warehouses leading into the docks. Using the smoke that was hanging in the air as cover, they slipped inside one of the buildings.

Serena and Rini held up their broaches and called out their transformations. Power swirled around them as they turned into Sailor Moon and Sailor Crescent Moon. More energy was felt as Darien and Andrew transformed as well.

Jess felt a deep sense of foreboding as she gripped the pendant around her neck tight. She whispered, "Shadow Power" and felt the familiar rush as the shadows wrapped around her to leave her standing in her solid navy blue fuku. Unexpectedly, a wave of dizziness hit her, threatening to make her knees buckle, but she fought against it, not wanting the others to know.

"Are you okay?" Andrew asked in concern.

She flashed him a brilliant smile. "Peachy keen. Now let's go kick some ass, shall we?"

Andrew answered her with a grin and a bow. "Your wish is my command."

The five left the old warehouse and made their way toward what was left of the building that had exploded. They met up with Venus and Kunzite who quickly filled them in on what they had seen.

Kunzite was calm and composed as usual. "Mina and I were down here checking out the building. It's for sale and I was looking to see if it would be a good investment. We had just exited the building when there was a small explosion and the building went up in flames."

"Small explosion, my ass!" Venus exclaimed. "That was no little boom, that was a big boom. And the building did a lot more than just catch fire, the damn thing exploded. It knocked us both down and almost singed the ends of my hair. Then Bastian showed up with four or five youma and sicced them on us. We got away and found a place to transform and put out the call."

"Where are they now?" Tuxedo Mask asked.

"That's the weird part." Kunzite replied. "When we snuck back this way to see what was going on, they had all vanished."

"A hit and run, perhaps?" Andrew asked.

Sailor Moon shook her head. "That doesn't sound like the way he usually operates."

Sailor Shadow let out a growl. "It's not. He's up to something. I bet the sick bastard is somewhere nearby, watching us."

"You called my bluff quicker than I thought you would, princess. Congratulations." a quiet, yet cold voice cut into their conversation.

Five figures materialized from the lingering smoke. Bastian was in the middle, flanked by two humanoid looking youma on each side. The youma looked like the ones that they had faced on several occasions, but there were several differences that tipped the small band of heroes off that theses youma would be difficult to beat.

These youma still had the bright red eyes that belied their humanness, despite their humanlike appearance. But in addition to that, their incisors were long and sharp like a predatory animal. They were also taller and broader than the past youmas, and dark energy radiated around them in visible waves.

Bastian was the biggest surprise though. His unnaturally red hair was now streaked with black and his eyes glowed with a blood red intensity. Unlike in the past when he had exuded an air of almost bored cockiness, he now took a dominating stance, a look of confident superiority on his face. The amount of power surrounding him was almost suffocating.

He let out a low, evil sounding chuckle. "Do you like the improvements? I'm quite pleased with them myself?"

Running footsteps were heard as the rest of the inner scouts and the generals joined them. They all stopped short as well as they took in the scene before them. Mars gasped as she felt the aura of their enemy.

"Something's happened." she stated. "That not Bastian. It may be his body, but his consciousness is gone."

A shadow fell across them as another person walked forward to join them. "You are correct Sailor Mars. Bastian has been possessed by an evil entity. It has taken him over entirely." Talon said.

"So the traitor decided to put in an appearance." the person who wasn't Bastian growled. "I'm assuming since you are standing by their side instead of mine that you have made your choice as to which side you are on."

Talon stood straight and unsheathed his sword. He glared at his opponent, hate and fury burning bright in his black eyes. "You assume correctly. I see now that your plan is based on nothing but your need for revenge. You fooled me for centuries and made me think that your goals were the same as mine. I will not be your puppet, nor will I stand by and let you destroy these people to satisfy your demented need."

The possessed Bastian snarled. "You know nothing of my need for revenge. I was sealed away in the darkness for years. When I finally broke free I was cursed to exist as nothing more than a spirit. I joined you and your small surviving band of rebels because I knew that you would eventually lead me to the one that I needed to take my ultimate revenge on the ones that took me prisoner all those centuries ago."

His hot glowing eyes pinned Sailor Shadow in a look of triumphant glee. She took an unconscious step back.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded. "What the hell does any of this have to do with me? I don't even know who you are."

A sly smirk turned his lips up. "I suppose it's only fair to tell someone why they are about to die. You, my dear, are the granddaughter of the ones that imprisoned me. Back when she was still a princess herself, Queen Serenity teamed up with her future husband, Prince Jonathan of the sun, and his best friend, the future king of Earth, Prince Edward. The three of them invoked an ancient magic to seal me away. They saw me as a threat to the solar system. Since you are their granddaughter, you are the perfect tool for my revenge. The fact that you are also the holder of one of the most powerful crystals ever born is an added bonus."

Sailor Moon's head swirled for a moment as the almost forgotten memory of a conversation she had once had with her mother in the past surfaced. She had been looking through a book in the castle's library about recent history and had come across the story of a battle that her mother, father, and Endymion's father had been in. The details had been vague, so she had asked the queen about it. Queen Serenity hadn't told her much more about it, just that an evil power intent on taking over the galaxy had appeared and that she and the two princes had beaten it.

She also remembered another conversation, this one more recent, that she'd had a little over two years ago with Princess Kakyuu right before the final battle with Galaxia.

**_Flashback_**

Serena knocked on the apartment door nervously. She had received an unexpected phone call earlier from the Fireball Princess, requesting her to join her for tea. She had agreed because she was curious. She hadn't spoken much to the mysterious princess since she had made her appearance, so she wondered what she wanted with her.

The door opened to reveal the exquisitely beautiful princess. Serena was shocked. She had expected one of the Starlights to answer the door.

"Please, come in." the princess invited her in her soft, melodic voice.

Serena had stepped in. "This is an honor, Your Highness."

The red haired princess laughed. "Do not stand on ceremony with me, moon princess. We are both equals. You may simply call me Kakyuu, and I will call you Serenity. Now I'm sure you are wondering why I called you here today."

Serena nodded. "I must admit I am curious."

Kakyuu had seated them and began pouring the tea. "I thought you should know more about the enemy before you face her in battle. Galaxia does not act on her own free will. She is possessed by an evil entity called Chaos. This entity is similar to Metallia, who you destroyed a couple of years ago, only much more powerful. You see, there are many of these dark powers that have traveled the universe bent on dominance and destruction. Some have been sealed away by warriors in the past, but there are still some out there. Chaos is one of the more powerful ones, but luckily is not the most powerful. It is, however, the most violent one that is still roaming free. Your past parents, Queen Serenity and King Jonathan had a hand in sealing away the most fearsome one…"

**_End Flashback_**

The rest of the conversation flashed through Sailor Moon's mind. The puzzle pieces fell into place one by one. She knew who this was.

"Discord…" she whispered.

"What?" the others asked as they turned questioning eyes on her.

She ignored them as she glared at the man in front of her. "I know who you are now. You are Discord, aren't you?"

He inclined his head slightly. "Very good, Serenity. I see my reputation precedes me. I have waited a long time for this moment. It's nothing personal against you, but I hope you have enjoyed your brief reunion with your daughter. I intend to steal her power and kill her. Her death will seal the revenge that I vowed I would seek almost 1,100 years ago. With the spilling of her life blood, a new era will begin."

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask moved protectively in front of Andrew, who had shoved Sailor Shadow behind him while he took a defensive stance in front of her. Talon stood at the front of the group with his sword pointed at Discord, who surveyed them all in amusement.

He let out a deep, eerie laugh. "Do you honestly think you can stop me? You are nothing but pesky little insects to me. If you insist on standing in my way, I'll destroy you all. And you, Talon, without my power to fuel your own, you're nothing."

Talon just grinned as his sword began glowing. "Are you sure about that?" A large blast of energy shot from his sword at Discord.

Discord jumped quickly out of the way. He turned disbelieving eyes on Talon. "How did you do that? Without my energy your powers should be diminished."

Talon smirked. "I have my ways. I found a way to have power before you came along, and I don't need you now."

Discord looked around, his eyes spotting a glow coming from a nearby rooftop. "Ahh, so you brought along your little lapdog. I'm sure the lovely Anya was more than willing to serve as your new power source. I should have killed her centuries ago. She was never devoted to our cause, but I kept her around because you seemed to enjoy her company. But it's of little consequence. Even with both of your powers combined, you're no match for me. She will die for her betrayal along with you."

"I don't think so." Talon said with a shake of his head. "There is still one here who I believe can put an end to you. Her pure heart opened my eyes and restored my hope in this world. I have faith in her." He turned to smile at Sailor Shadow, who was peeking over Andrew's shoulder.

She returned his smile and mouthed a silent 'Thank you' to him. She hoped that she could live up to everyone's expectations, but she felt so drained and out of sorts right now.

"Enough" Discord roared. With just a wave of his hand he sent everyone tumbling to the ground. "You are all foolish to put your fate in the hands of that girl because of a prophecy made a millennia ago. She cannot defeat me. Even now I can feel her confusion and lack of faith. She will be disposed of as easily as the rest of you."

He turned those creepy eyes back to Sailor Shadow, who stiffened as she felt a dark power nudge at her mind. She knew Discord was trying to see inside her head and quickly tried to erect her mental shields that Nebula had taught her years ago, but she wasn't fast enough.

"Ah, I see now." Discord said with a low chuckle. "You can fight it, but you can't hide from me, princess. I can see your innermost thoughts and feelings. I can feel your anger and disappointment in life. Others may see you as innocent and pure, but you don't fool me for a minute. You are nothing but an angry, jaded little girl. But if you hand over the power I seek, I promise to give you peace quickly and painlessly. Then you will be with the ones that you miss so much forever."

Power swirled around him, materializing to form two figures. One was a tall man with light blonde hair and warm brown eyes. The other was a slender woman with long, layered, light brown hair and striking green eyes.

Tears flowed freely from Sailor Shadow's eyes. "Mom…Dad…" she whispered.

The apparition of Joshua Alexander smiled at her. "There's my little peanut. How ya doin, kiddo?"

Beside him, Kimberly shook her head. "Honestly, Jessie, I can't turn my back on you for five minutes without you getting into some kind of trouble, can I?"

Shadow buried her face in Andrew's shoulder and he held her close. "This can't be real. That's not really them. My parents are dead."

"I can make it real for you." Discord said in a low, hypnotic tone. "Just give me the crystal and I'll send you to be with them for eternity. Isn't that what you wish for, to be able to go back to what your life was like two years ago before the tragedy that ripped your parents away from you at such a tender age?"

Sailor Shadow shook her head as she climbed back to her feet to glare at the man. "Stop it. You don't know anything about me or my parents. If you did, you would know that they always taught me to fight back and never give up."

Discord surveyed her cautiously for a moment. With a careless wave of his hand, the apparitions disappeared. "So be it. Bring on your worst, princess. You will never defeat me."

Shadow felt the presence of her friends beside her and drew from their strength and support.

Sailor Moon smiled at her. "Hey, we're with you all the way. I told you that you wouldn't be alone in this."

Andrew's arms encircled her from behind. "Let's beat this asshole so we can go home."

She smiled at them all. "Sounds good to me."

"Am I too late to join the party?" a voice asked as a portal opened up and Sailor Pluto stepped out.

"Nope, you're just in time." Sailor Moon said with a grin. Then she whispered, "Where are the other outers?"

"They were all the way over on the other side of the city." Pluto told her. "Michelle was giving a violin performance tonight. They will be here as quick as they can."

"So we're down three scouts." Sailor Moon mused. "I guess we'll just have to do what we can until they get here. Everyone stay together. No wandering away from the group."

"I hope you're done with all of your whispering. I'm ready to get this show on the road." Discord said in a bored tone. "I have a universe waiting for me to conquer it. Youmas, kill the rest and bring the princess to me. We have a date with destiny."

The heroes stood back to back with their partners, creating an impenetrable circle of defense. The youma prowled around them, looking for an opening to strike. Unable to find a weakness, they began launching random attacks, trying to break through the ranks. The scouts and their male companions were able to deflect the attacks for the most part, but a few made their way through to inflict some damage.

A sharp cry was heard and Sailor Mercury sank to her knees clutching her upper arm. Blood seeped through her fingers to stain her white gloves. Zoicite was down on the ground beside her in an instant, prying her hand away to examine the large cut she had received.

"I'm fine." she reassured him quickly and climbed back to her feet.

Muttered curses were heard all around as some of the others received superficial wounds as well. Discord stood back watching with a look of unholy glee on his face.

A youma shot a blast toward Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. They combined their powers and deflected it with a small burst of silver and gold energy. The youma growled and set its sights on Sailor Shadow and Andrew instead. With an angry snarl it launched itself at them.

Sailor Shadow reached deep down inside herself to draw on the energy she needed to launch her own attack. But instead of the vibrant hum of power she usually felt, she was only able to find a faint echo of the energy she usually felt from the crystal shard inside her. Knowing she didn't have time to wonder about it right now, she pulled in every speck of that residual energy. As her hands began faintly glowing, she knew that this attack was going to be weak.

She released the ball of energy at the youma. It was soon joined by a brighter sphere of copper colored light as Andrew also attacked. The two powers slammed into the youma and it let out a howl as it disintegrated.

Sailor Shadow sank to her knees as a wave of exhaustion overtook her. She let out a startled cry as her transformation faded. The others looked just as shocked as she was.

"What happened?" Andrew asked as he knelt down beside her.

Jess shook her head. "I don't know. It's like all my energy is gone. I can't even sense the power of the crystal shard anymore. It's like it vanished."

"That's impossible!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. "Your power couldn't have just disappeared."

"Somehow it has." Talon told them as he joined them. "I have sensed it since I arrived. I could barely feel what little energy she had, and now that's gone as well. She needs to get out of here. She is in no condition to fight."

Talon had his back turned and didn't see the youma rushing him until it was too late. He turned just as the youma was practically on top of him. Before he could react, it exploded into dust. A dark haired woman who looked to be in her middle twenties was at his side a moment later.

"I thought I told you to stay out of the fight, Anya." he growled at the woman.

She flipped her long, dark brown ponytail over her shoulder. "And I thought you had enough sense to not turn your back on the enemy during a fight. I guess I was mistaken."

"Don't test me, woman." he ground out between clenched teeth.

She grinned at him. "You don't scare me a bit, you big teddy bear. Your bark is definitely worse than your bite."

Talon heard a giggle behind him and turned to find most of the eyes in the group trained on him and Anya, watching their exchange in amusement.

Jess cocked a blonde eyebrow at him. "Girlfriend?"

A red flush crept up his cheeks and the normally cool and composed man stammered, "Uh…kinda…I'm not exactly sure…"

The woman next to him shook her head and sighed. She held a hand out to Jess and helped her up. "My name's Anya. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance finally. Don't pay any attention to him. I think I superimposed him earlier and he hasn't quite got his head back on straight yet." She turned back to Talon with a smile. "Well, shall we take care of the last two nuisances?"

The two remaining youma were still prowling around the group, but they were careful to keep their distance. Their eyes widened in fear and they both began running away as Talon and Anya began glowing with a muted light. Two howls were heard as the youma crumbled into dust.

During this exchange, Sailor Pluto had cocked her head at Crescent Moon, indicating that it was time to execute the plan that they had come up with the night before. She began backing away from the group while their attention was diverted, intentionally breaking Sailor Moon's rule of sticking together.

Just as Pluto had predicted, the moment she had put a considerable distance between them, Discord struck. His eyes glowed with triumph as he spotted her alone.

"So one of the little piggies is all alone." he crowed as he made a beeline for her. "Just the leverage I needed."

She froze at the sight of the possessed demon flying at her. She heard her name being called, but couldn't force her body to respond. She closed her eyes tight and prayed that this worked out the way Pluto thought it would.

She saw a flash of silver light behind her closed lids at the same moment arms scooped her up. She opened her eyes to see that Tuxedo Mask had gotten to her just in time and had carried her away from the threat. She looked over his shoulder and saw Sailor Moon facing off against Discord. She cradled the Silver Crystal between her palms.

"I've had just about all I can take from you." she said in a low, even tone. "You are sick and twisted to punish other people to get revenge for something that was done over a millennia ago. The ones that imprisoned you are long dead. I can't allow you to destroy this world in your attempt to take over the universe."

There was a bright flash of light from the Silver Crystal. When it faded, Sailor Moon's fuku had been replaced by Princess Serenity's formal white dress. It was no longer Sailor Moon or Serena that stood defiantly in front of Discord. She was the moon princess once more, and her desire to protect the Earth burned bright in her clear blue eyes.

Discord threw back his head and laughed. "So the princess of the moon thinks she can defeat me with her little crystal? Okay, go ahead and give it your best shot, Serenity."

Serenity glared at him as the crystal began glowing with power. "Oh don't worry, I will."

Tuxedo Mask had returned to the others by that time and sat Crescent Moon on her feet. He turned at the sound of a scuffle and heard a muttered curse from Andrew. Something slammed into his shoulder as a figure raced by him. When his mind registered that it was Jess, he reached out to grab her, but she slipped through his fingers.

The moment Serenity had made her appearance; Jess had tried to go to her. She didn't care that she was powerless and unable to transform. She knew that it was suicidal for Serena to try and take on Discord by herself. Andrew had held on to her tightly to keep her from rushing to Serena's side. She had struggled against him fruitlessly for several moments. Finally, she was able to jab an elbow into his stomach. His grip loosened and she was able to break free.

She was physically drained, but the adrenaline pumping through her gave her the energy that she needed to run. This psycho was after her, and there was no way she was going to let Serena take the fall for her. She had almost reached her when she bounced off of an invisible barrier. She fell back, hitting the ground hard. She heard footsteps as the others rushed forward as well, but she didn't pay them any attention. She jumped up and began pounding her fists on the shield.

"Serena" she screamed. "Serena stop! You can't go against him alone. Please!"

Serenity didn't even acknowledge her. She kept her eyes fixed on the man in front of her. Even when Tuxedo Mask, the scouts, and the generals joined in, she stayed focused.

"Discord, you bastard!" Jess yelled. "I'm the one you want you son of a bitch, so come and get me."

Discord turned a mocking gaze on her. "I'll deal with you shortly. But first it seems that Princess Serenity wants to play. I am more than happy to oblige her. Let's see how the legendary moon princess that has defeated so many others fares against me."

He turned back to Serenity. "Any time you're ready, princess."

"Fine by me." Serenity snapped. "Moon Crystal Power!"

A burst of silver energy shot from the Silver Crystal and flew toward him. It looked to be a deadly attack, and everyone held their breath, hoping that maybe Serena might be able to pull this off.

Discord made no attempt to launch a counter attack. At the last moment, he held up a hand lazily and easily blocked the energy. "Is that all you have, princess? I'm disappointed. This barely tickles."

He began walking forward, pushing the energy back with him. The crystal glowed brighter as Serenity poured more energy into it. Then suddenly Discord was right in front of her. She let out a startled cry as he batted the Silver Crystal out of her hands as easily as if he were shooing a fly away. It flew several yards away to land on the ground.

Everyone stared in stunned silence. They had never seen anyone stand up to the power of the Silver Crystal like that. It was unheard of. With the loss of the crystal, Serenity turned back into Serena.

Discord reached out and wrapped a hand around her throat. He lifted her several inches off the ground. Serena clawed at his hand as she struggled to breath.

"Did you seriously think that you could stand up against me?" he hissed. "I warned you before, but you didn't listen. Your parents and that pathetic earthling tried to defeat me as well, but they were only able to seal me away. You had to learn the hard way that I can't be beaten so easily, but this fits in nicely with my plans. You have just ensured my victory."

He stared at Jess hard. "You have twenty four hours to deliver the Celestial Crystal to me, Princess Melody. If you fail to do so, I promise that Serenity will suffer a long and painful death. But it wouldn't be the first time that she died because of your mistakes, would it? Remember, princess, twenty four hours."

He disappeared then, taking Serena with him. Tuxedo Mask fell to the ground on his hands and knees. His body was shaking with anger and pain. Each of the inner scouts had tears streaking their cheeks as they leaned against the generals.

Jess felt Andrew's arms around her, but she was too much in shock to notice. She did notice, however, when Crescent Moon walked over to Sailor Pluto and began whispering frantically to her.

The hot temper that always lay just under Jess's surface broke free. She pulled herself away from Andrew roughly and stalked over to them. She grabbed Crescent Moon by the arm and spun her around. The pink haired girl's eyes widened in fear as she saw the cold fury in Jess's suddenly stormy eyes.

"What were you thinking?" Jess screamed at her. She took the younger girl by the shoulders and began shaking her violently. "Of all the stupid things to do. What possessed you to leave the group like that? It's your fault that Serena got kidnapped."

Tears filled the maroon eyes and her transformation faded. Rini looked at her beseechingly. "I know, but I had my reasons for it."

Jess gaped in amazement. "What reason could you have possibly had for what you did? Don't you care that your mother's past self has just been taken prisoner by the enemy?"

_CRACK!_

Everyone stared in stunned silence at the pair. Even Darien, who had let go of his transformation as well, raised his head to look at the two battling girls.

Rini glared at Jess, who was now holding her cheek where Rini had just slapped her. The young princess was trembling and her bright eyes were snapping with angry flames.

"Don't you dare accuse me of not caring about what happens to my mother." she growled. "I have come close to losing her many times in my life. I had to witness her lying as if she were dead when I was only eight years old. I risked my own life to come to the past to save her. My mother is one of the most important people in my life and I would do anything for her."

Jess stared the now sobbing girl. "So why, Rini? Why did you go against her wishes and leave the group?"

"I did it for you!" Rini cried. "Everything I have done today, I did for you. If I hadn't, you would be dead right now. I have known you my entire life. You have been almost like a second mother to me. But something went wrong and you disappeared from the future. I have put my own existence in jeopardy to make sure you have the happy future you're supposed to have."

"That's enough, Rini." Sailor Pluto said softly. "We shouldn't say too much about the future."

"You were in on this too, weren't you?" Jess accused her. "Both of you have been acting weird for the last few weeks. Now I know that you have been plotting behind everyone's backs. Well I hope you're both happy with the results."

Pluto refused to be intimidated by the angry young woman. "I am not pleased that things had to happen this way, but I am happy that the disturbance in the timeline is on its way to being repaired. It's not fixed yet, but it's a good start. I hate that Serena had to be a pawn in this, but it was the only way. She is in no danger at the moment."

"How can you say that?" Darien ground out as he got up off the ground. "That madman has her and we don't know where they are. I call that being in danger. And I can't believe that you of all people would intentionally mess with the timeline. That's not like you."

Pluto may not have been intimidated by Jess, but Darien was a different story. He may not be king yet, but the air of authority still hung around him. She looked down at the ground uneasily.

"It's true that I always stick to the strict rule of never messing with time." she told him. "But in this case it's a matter of restoring things to the way they should be, not influencing a favorable outcome. As Rini said, Jess is supposed to be alive and well with all of you in Crystal Tokyo, but some events have happened in this time that changed that and she vanished. I searched the alternate timelines and found that this particular moment in time was the turning point. If Rini and I hadn't interfered, Jess would have died on this night at the hands of Discord. Now we just have to hope that everything else falls into place so that the future returns to the way it is supposed to be."

"I guess I should give this back to you now." Rini told Jess, holding out her hand. In her palm rested a beautiful gold locket.

Jess's breath caught. She knew that locket well. She could see in her mind the picture of the three people that rested inside it as well as the inscription engraved on the back, _To my love, Kim. You are always in my heart. Forever yours, Josh._ It was the locket that she had seen around her mother's neck on many occasions, and one of her most treasured keepsakes.

"Where did you get this?" she whispered as she reached out and took the locket from Rini. She jumped as a bright blue light flashed from it and she felt her powers return in a rush. She looked questionably at Rini.

The younger girl blushed and looked away. "Pluto, Helios, and I snuck in last night while you were asleep. I used my moon power to siphon off most of your energy and sealed it inside the locket. We knew if you went into this fight with your powers intact that you would die. That's why you've felt funny all day. Your body's not used to functioning without that extra energy."

Jess snapped open the locket and stared at the picture inside. It was of her and her parents when she was about six years old. Her anger sparked again as she thought about how Discord had used her parents to mess with her head earlier. It was time to end this. She closed her hand tightly around the locket.

"All right" she said calmly. "If anyone has any information about that damn crystal, they better start talking. If Discord wants a fight, he's going to get one. I'm tired of playing around. When I see him again, I'm going in with all of my powers completely intact. It's time to see whether this stupid prophecy is true or not."

**A/N **So the final battle has begun. Not only do they have to defeat the enemy, but they have to rescue Serena as well. Don't worry, you all know how protective Darien is about her. I doubt he'll let her rest in Discord's hands for long. And did any of you remember Anya from her brief appearance in Chapter 21? Originally Talon was going to be the main baddie through the whole story, but I started liking him so much that I completely rewrote his character. I felt that it was only fair to give him a romantic prospect since Jess is already taken. And remember the teenage boy in Crystal Tokyo, he will be in the sequel. But I'm keeping his identity a secret for now. Wow, I'm rambling again. I should really learn how to shut up. Please remember to review guys, it helps me so much. See ya in the next chapter!

~Sere~


	26. Rescue Plans and Crystals

**A/N **Hey everyone! I'm finally updating…Yay me! Yes it took some time and three rewrites, but I finally decided to post this one. I'm not entirely thrilled with it, and I may go back someday and redo it again. But for now it's the best I could do. I'm ready to move on with the rest of the story and stop dwelling on this chapter so much. Okay, hug time. BIG HUGS TO: (give me a minute, this may take a while…lol)

**xo Usako ox**

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Whew! Okay, I'm done. Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews you guys. There's no greater compliment that I could receive than to hear from you readers. So now I'm going to stop typing and let you get on with the story.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 26

Rescue Plans and Crystals

It was a glum group of people that sat around the large kitchen in Elysian. Anger, pain, and worry lined most of their faces. They had retreated into the dream world after Discord's attack in hopes that the different movement of time would give them extra time to figure out a solution to their current problem.

It was chaotic at the moment as everyone was attempting to talk at once. They were all so engrossed in plotting and scheming different ways to rescue Serena, that they didn't notice when the man at the table stood up.

"All right, everyone, quiet down for a minute." Darien commanded. "We need to all put our heads together and come up with a plan. We're not accomplishing anything with all of this bickering."

Amara slammed a hand down on the table. "What the hell is there to plan, Darien? It's simple to me. Talon says he knows where they are and he can get us there. We just blast our way in there and grab Serena and get out. What's so hard about that?"

Michelle laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, dearest. I know you're upset, but losing control like this is not the way to handle it."

"I can't help it." Amara moaned. "I can't help thinking that if we had gotten there sooner, Serena would still be here with us. What kind of guardians are we that we can't even be there for our princess when she needs us?"

The tall man leaning against the wall appraised Amara with a critical eye. "I assure you, Uranus, I can get you in there. But think about this. We are not dealing with a person. Discord is pure evil. He has no conscience. You can go in there blasting away, and he will slit Serenity's throat before you ever get near her. He will smile while he does it and dance in her blood afterward."

There were shivers all around as everyone thought of Serena and the precarious position she was in right now. Pluto had seemed upset, but not overly concerned at the turn of events that had occurred this evening. They knew she had some master plan, but she refused to share it with them before she left to go check on the timeline. The only thing that she had told them was to not reveal the location of the crystal to Jess yet because that was an issue that would be addressed later.

That had pissed Jess off to no end and had sent her stomping from the room, but not before she had yelled at all of them for keeping secrets from her.

"Fine!" she had shrieked. "Go ahead and keep me in the dark. I don't need any of your help anyway. I'll find that damn crystal on my own if I have to. I've flown solo for years and I can always go right back to it."

Her eyes had locked on Andrew's pleading ones. He stepped toward her. "Jess, baby…"

"Don't you 'baby' me." she interrupted. "You knew that I was wondering about that stupid crystal and where it was, and now I find out you knew the whole time. I would have thought that you of all people would have been honest with me. But you played right along with everyone else."

Andrew tried to pull her into his arms, but backed off when a slight tremor shook the coffee cups sitting on the table. His steady eyes met hers. "I wasn't trying to hurt you. I was trying to protect you."

Tears sprang to her eyes as she took in his heartfelt expression. "I know you were, but I wish everyone would see that I don't need as much protection as you think I do. It took me a long time to come to terms with my destiny, but I was born to fight to keep this planet safe, the same as Serena and everyone else, and that's what I'm going to do."

And with that, she had stomped from the room, slamming the door behind her. Andrew had started to follow her, but stopped when he felt her need to be alone to think things through.

"Aren't you going to go after her?" Talon asked.

Andrew grinned at him. "No. If there's one thing that I know about Jess is that when she's upset she wants to be alone to think about things. I'll talk to her when she calms down."

Talon shook his head. "She sure is a handful. I don't envy you having to tiptoe around her moods."

A wistful smile turned up Andrew's lips. "She's not moody, just passionate. I wouldn't have her any other way."

"Whatever you say." Talon muttered as he continued to look around in awe. He had never thought in a million years that he would actually be inside Elysian, but here he was. Anya stood next to him, just as wide-eyed as he was.

Darien's voice had pulled him from his musings and he returned his focus to the problem at hand. His gaze narrowed as he took in the figure of the clearly distraught earth prince.

"Damn it!" Darien exclaimed, clearly reaching the end of his rope. "You would think that between all of us we could come up with a plan fairly easily. But all I'm hearing are crazy, half thought out schemes. I want to save Serena, not get her killed."

Mina laid a soothing hand on his shoulder. "We know that, Darien. We want her back safe and sound too. But you can't go losing it now. Serena's depending on all of us."

Darien shook her hand off. "You think I don't know that? I feel so helpless right now; sitting here talking while that madman has her. It's driving me crazy. I'm about ready to just say the hell with it and go after her myself. I can't stand this."

Kunzite stepped up to him, face to face. "Calm down, Darien. You're not doing yourself or Serena any good by acting crazy. We'll come up with something to get her back. Have we ever let you down before?"

Darien couldn't stop the knowing grin that spread across his face. He cocked his head and studied his head general closely. "Well, I could think of a couple of times."

Jadeite groaned. "Way to go, Kunzite. You just had to go and say something like that, didn't you?"

Nephrite shook his head. "Hey, you can't go holding that against us. None of that was our fault."

Zoicite nodded emphatically. "That's right. We were brainwashed and weren't in control of our actions."

Darien let out a tired chuckle. "I wasn't even thinking about that. I was thinking more along the lines of when you four ratted me out for horse racing and sneaking out of the palace."

The four generals looked dumbfounded for a moment before looking down and muttering, "Oh". They all felt a little sheepish. They knew that deep down, their prince harbored no ill feelings toward them for the deeds that they had done while under Beryl's control. But when Darien had said what he said, that was the first thing that jumped to their minds.

"It's cool guys." Darien reassured them. "I know whose side you're playing on this time, and I thank you for standing beside me. You are more than just my generals to me and always have been. You are my friends. Actually, I think we've been in enough scrapes together in two lifetimes to practically be considered brothers."

The generals smiled gratefully at him and then cringed at the sound of the inner scouts making cooing noises.

"Awww" Mina drawled. "Isn't that just one of the sweetest things you've ever seen in your life?"

Raye snorted. "Yeah, who would have known that under those tough exteriors that they were such softies?"

"Total male bonding moment." Lita agreed. "But it's kinda creepy if you ask me. Completely out of character for all of them."

Amy shook her head. "No, it's good for morale. It will be good going on this mission knowing that we are all together as a single unit. It makes our percentage rate of succeeding go up quite a bit." She squeaked when the other three inner scouts turned disbelieving eyes on her. "Okay…sorry…I'm shutting up now."

The other three laughed and chimed, "That's our Amy" at the same time.

Amara growled. "If the love fest is over, can we please get back to figuring out what we're going to do? How are we going to get into Discord's lair? According to tall, scarred, and spooky over there, we can't teleport in."

Talon gave her an evil smirk. "That's right. The barrier of dark energy that surrounds the place prevents anyone who doesn't have permission from being able to teleport in. I doubt even Anya or I would be able to go in anymore. I'm sure Discord has blocked us since he sees our defection as the ultimate betrayal. You could teleport nearby and then walk to the only outside entrance there is, but the moment you cross the barrier he will sense you and know you're there."

"Which completely ties our hands because he would still have time to kill Serena before we could find her if he wanted to." Michelle whispered.

"Exactly" Talon said. "I don't think he'd let anyone in without a fight except the princess. And that would only be if she showed up with the crystal. Even then things could get ugly. I hope your Sailor Pluto knows what she's doing keeping the girl separated from that crystal."

"She knows." Hotaru spoke up softly from where she was sitting next to a still and silent Rini. "She has seen the events that need to take place, and she's doing all she can to make sure they go as they should."

"But why hide the location of the crystal from Jess?" Mina asked. "It's obvious that we're going to need it to take down Discord. Why hide it from her?"

Andrew chuckled. "Think about it. If we had told Jess where it was the moment we got here, what do you think she would have done?"

Everyone looked around, looking clueless. Nebula sighed and jumped up on the table to address them. "Andrew's right. In the frame of mind she's in right now she would have grabbed that crystal and run after Serena as fast as she could. You all know how hotheaded she can be. She would probably wind up getting herself killed in the process, which is exactly what Pluto is trying to avoid."

"I'm not sure how much longer we can stand in destiny's way" Helios said quietly from his seat on the other side of Rini. "Even now I can feel the hum of the crystal's power beneath us in the cavern. It knows that she is near. It's only a matter of time until she hears its call. Not even Pluto will be able to stop it when that happens."

"That's the plan." Rini whispered. "That's why Pluto suggested that we come here. She wanted to put Jess and the crystal in close proximity of each other. Remember, it feels her emotions. It will know when the time is right to reunite with her. Our crystals are almost like sentient beings. If she tried to take it too soon when she was thinking of nothing but revenge, it might reject her."

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Rini. She sat completely still, staring off into nothingness. She clutched the Silver Crystal tightly in her hand and had refused to let anyone take it from her, not even Darien. It was as if she was dependant on the only link she had with her mother.

Everyone had been watching her carefully since Serena's abduction. Not only were they worried about her because she seemed so upset about the events she had helped Pluto set in motion, but also because they wanted to make sure she didn't start fading away like she did when Nehelenia had kidnapped Darien. The fact that she seemed to still be whole and solid helped boost everyone's spirits a little.

"Well now we know why Pluto told us not to tell her." Darien sighed. "But even if she gets the crystal back, we can't send her in to face Discord alone. Serena would kill us all if something happened to her."

Mina flopped down in a chair. "What I don't get is why Pluto made it so that Serena got kidnapped. What purpose is it serving to change the timeline like that?"

"It was supposed to be me." Rini said with tears welling up in her eyes. "Puu said there were three possible outcomes for tonight. I changed one when I locked up Jess's power. If I hadn't she would have fought against Discord and would have died. The other timelines showed Jess reuniting with the crystal, but it required either Serena or I being captured to give her the chance to escape death so that she could come here. I volunteered to do it. I thought I was far enough away to keep Serena from getting in the way, but I guess I wasn't."

Darien's heart cracked a bit at the sight of how upset his future daughter was. Her tear-streaked face looked so much like Serena's. He walked over and knelt down in front of her.

"Hey" he said softly. "We'll get her back. I don't know how yet, but we will. We're going to make it through this, just like we always do."

With a sob, Rini flung herself at him. Her slim arms wrapped around his neck in a death grip while she cried wildly on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Daddy." she hiccupped. "I didn't mean to mess everything up. I can't do anything right."

"Shh" Darien soothed her. "Everything's going to be okay. We're going to save your mother. I promise. Your future won't change. When you go home, everything will be as it should be."

He held her close as she continued to cry. After a few minutes she quieted and raised her head to look at him.

"Thanks" she said shyly. "I needed that."

Darien smiled as he released her. He knew exactly how she felt. He wished he could do the same thing. Inside he was screaming. He wanted to break down and cry at the loss of his love, but he knew he needed to stay strong if he wanted to get her back. Feeling the need to get some air and clear his head, he snuck quietly out the patio doors.

Once outside, he took several deep breaths of the warm, fresh air. It was nighttime in Elysian, and the sky was full of twinkling stars. He looked for the moon, but it couldn't be seen. They were in the new moon phase, so it was hidden from view.

He reached out with the link he shared with Serena. But just like earlier when he tried, it was barely there. The combination of dark power and distance made it impossible to reach her. It reminded him of when he had been gone away to school and he couldn't feel her. He hated the feeling. It intensified the feeling of loss.

Fighting against the melancholy feeling, he walked down the steps and onto the lawn that surrounded the palace. A rhythmic thumping noise caught his attention and he went in search of what it was.

A door was open on the side of the palace and light flooded through it. It was the outside entrance to the training room. Knowing that everybody except one person was currently in the kitchen, he had no doubt as to who was in there.

He stepped to the door and looked in. Sure enough, Jess was in there. She had a handful of knives that she was flinging at a target across the room. Each one sank into the target with a thunk, revealing the source of the noise he heard. When she had gone through all of them, she walked across the room and began pulling them out.

When she turned back, she jumped a little when she saw him leaning against the doorframe. She didn't say anything as she returned to her position and threw the first knife. It flew across the room and hit the target just shy of the bulls eye.

"You're pretty good at that." Darien said as he walked into the room.

Jess shrugged. "I guess. You could probably hit the center every time without even thinking about it."

He smirked and flicked his wrist. There was a streak of red and then a thud as a rose embedded itself perfectly in the center of the target.

Jess set her remaining knives down on the table and grumbled, "Showoff."

"I didn't know you had weapons training." Darien observed.

She sighed. "My sensei I had growing up thought it was important to know more than just hand to hand fighting. Then Nebula came along and expanded on the training I already had. I prefer fighting with my fists, but I can handle a knife and a sword pretty well."

Swords too, huh?" Darien mused as he walked over to the rack that held an assortment of swords and other weapons. He had been trying to think of a way to break through the defenses that Jess had built up around herself. He didn't like the idea that she felt like she was excluded from the group. She was just as much a part of this as everyone else. And now he may have found just the opening he needed to show her that.

He picked up one of the blunt edged swords that he and the generals used to use for training and spun it around. "I haven't handled one of these in a long time and I'm probably terribly out of practice. What do you say we have a little impromptu sparring session?"

Jess looked indecisive for a moment, but there was no way to hide the excited light that sparkled in her eyes. She always enjoyed a challenge, even if it was coming from her former father.

She settled her face into a mask of indifference. "Sure. Why not? It's been a while for me too, and honestly I could use the exercise."

She selected a sword of her own from the rack. It was smaller and more lightweight than his, but it felt easy to maneuver in her hands. They walked to the center of the room and stood facing each other.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you." Darien warned her.

She smiled sweetly at him. "I wouldn't expect you to. Don't think I'm going to take this lightly either. I play to win."

Darien chuckled and held his sword above his head and brought it straight down at her. She blocked it expertly and then spun, swinging her sword around to come at him from the side. He brought his sword up to meet hers, knocking away her attack. They stepped back to resume their stances.

"Not bad." Darien complimented her. "You handle a sword quite well."

She grinned. "Thanks. I would return the compliment. But I already knew you were good. I remember sitting for hours watching you train with the generals."

"Yeah" he replied. "I remember too. It used to really get on Serenity's nerves. She didn't think a little girl should be seeing sword fights. But there's one lesson about this that you should always remember."

He swung his sword at her without warning, and in a quick move, her blade met his with a clang. She pushed against him, forcing him to take a step back.

A smirk turned up her lips. "If you were going to say never let your guard down, I'm way ahead of you. A good teacher teaches you that on the first day."

"Touché" Darien approved. "Shall we?"

Jess brought her sword up into a classic defense position. "Definitely."

Their mock battle lasted for several minutes. It was easy to see that Darien was the superior swordsman. Jess had a few close calls where she lost her footing or was almost too late to block one of his swings, but she held her own. The sparring session ended when Darien sent her sword flying with a twist of his wrist and she found the dull edge of his practice sword against her neck.

"I win." he said smoothly.

Jess laughed and pushed it away. "So you do. I never thought I'd be able to beat you anyway. You have a lot more experience than I do. I've only ever practiced with a sword. You've actually fought battles with one."

Darien joined in her laughter. "True. But you still handle a sword better than most soldiers I've seen." Glad to see her laughing again, he asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I think I am a little. I'm still pissed though. This whole thing makes me mad. I see that you were all trying to keep me safe by not telling me where the crystal was, but I would have felt better at least knowing that you all knew instead of treating it like some big mystery. I just wish people would give me some credit."

"You're right." Darien agreed. "We should have told you. It wasn't right to keep you in the dark when it's your life hanging in the balance. We were all at fault for that."

Jess waved him off. "It's cool. I understand why you guys did it. I actually got over being mad about that about two minutes after stomping out of the kitchen. I've just been trying to figure out what to do about getting Serena away from that son of a bitch. Have the rest of you come up with anything yet?"

Darien shook his head. "No. Not really. If we try to go after her, Discord will know and possibly kill her before we get there."

Jess chewed on her bottom lip and looked thoughtful. "Maybe I should go. I'm the one he wants. Maybe if I go, he'd let Serena go."

"Absolutely not!" Darien exclaimed. "He wants the crystal, not you, and we can't allow him to get his hands on it. If you go in without it, he will kill you before you can blink. We're not sacrificing anyone for this. It would kill Serena to lose anyone."

They lapsed into silence, both trying to think of a possible solution to the problem. They hit a dead end every time. It was looking pretty hopeless.

"Hey Darien, can I ask you something?" Jess asked softly.

"Sure. What's up?" he replied.

She took a deep breath. "Do you ever regret your past life?"

This question took him by surprise, and it took him a moment to respond. "No, never. It might not have had a happy ending, but I treasure every moment of it. Why would you ask that?"

Jess shook her head and began pacing. "I don't know. I've been doing a lot of thinking the last few weeks. For some reason it always seems like everything that goes wrong leads back to me. Sometimes it makes me feel like everyone would be much better off if I had never been born. I mean, don't get me wrong, anyone who has ever seen you and Serena together in either life can see that you two are great together, but I can't help thinking that the world might be a better place if I had never existed."

She seemed to wilt before his eyes. This wasn't the strong, confident Jess that he had come to know in this life. This was the confused five-year-old girl from a millennium ago who'd had to live her life in secrecy, not able to tell anyone who she truly was. The part of him that was Endymion longed to reach out and comfort her.

"Melody" he whispered and watched as she stopped pacing and looked at him with those expressive blue eyes that looked just like his. "Serenity and I wouldn't have traded you for anything. Sure our lives may not have been perfect, but you brought so much joy and happiness to us. I can't imagine what life would have been like without you. You were probably the single, most amazing thing to happen to us."

A relieved look crossed her face and a few tears sprang to her eyes. "So you don't resent me for all of this? Things could have been so different without me."

"Yeah different, but not better." Darien told her. "But you were our daughter and we loved you very much. And think about this, if you hadn't been born in the Silver Millennium, you wouldn't have been reincarnated into the life you have now. Would you want to give that up?"

Jess thought about that for a moment. She thought of her loving, jovial father and gentle, bubbly mother. They had been the best parents she could have asked for and had given her the best first sixteen years of her life. Then she thought of Andrew. He had been her best friend in both lifetimes; always looking out for her and making her feel safe. He had become even more to her in this life. He was her lover and protector wrapped up in a body that would rival that of a Greek god. No, she wouldn't want to give any of that up.

She grinned at Darien. "You're right. I wouldn't want to give up the life I have now. Sure, it's a little screwy right now, but we just have to find a way to fix it."

Hope swelled up in Darien at her words. Perhaps there was a way to get Serena back and defeat this evil once and for all. They just needed to put their heads together. "Right. I guess we should get back to the others and start coming up with a concrete plan."

* * *

Serena let out a little moan as her consciousness returned. She fought against it, wanting nothing more than to return to the dream she had been having. It had been about the past. She had been in the earth palace's rose garden with Endymion. He had been sitting on the ground while she had lain beside him with her head in his lap. His fingers had trailed lazily through her hair.

She knew what she would find if she opened her eyes, the cold stone walls of the chamber Discord had locked her in when they had arrived. Normally this wouldn't be much of a problem for her. Sailor Moon would just bust her way out. But without the Silver Crystal, she was just plain old, pathetically human, Serena Tsukino.

Not wanting to face the bleakness of endless waiting, she kept her eyes closed and focused on the dream she'd had. A small smile touched her lips as she thought about the similarities between her two lives.

Endymion had always had a fascination with her hair. He would spend hours running his fingers through the silky mass. Darien was pretty much the same. He had spent an entire two hours absently stroking her blonde locks while they had watched a movie the other night. Even now, she could feel his fingers smoothing down what she was sure was a tangled mess by now. It felt so real, too real.

Serena opened her eyes and let out a startled squeak as she saw the person sitting next to her, stroking her hair.

"Mother!" she exclaimed, sitting up to gape at the woman beside her. "But how are you here?"

Queen Serenity smiled at her benevolently. "I _am _still queen of the moon until you take your place as Neo Queen Serenity. The position comes with a few perks. We are in the phase of the new moon. Moon magic flows heavy while the moon goes through its rebirth, making it possible for me to contact you."

"But why haven't you done so before?" Serena asked. "Until that night in Elysian when you told us about Jess's real identity, I hadn't seen you since I was fourteen."

The queen chuckled. "You had a new life here and a mother of your own to answer to. I didn't think you needed your mother from your past life constantly butting in."

Serena giggled. "I guess you're right. But there have been some times when I could have used your wisdom."

Serenity raised an eyebrow. "Like now?"

Serena nodded her head. "Yeah. I still don't understand what happened. I've never seen anyone stand up to the Silver Crystal like that. He knocked it right out of my hands as if it were nothing."

"Life's lessons are sometimes hard." the queen whispered. "Some more so than others. I knew from the day you were born and I held you in my arms for the first time that you were destined to be a great queen. But as I watched you growing up I realized that you had one major flaw. You were scared of your powers and you lacked faith in your abilities. Even in this life you only use just enough of the Silver Crystal's energy to defeat the enemy. You have never unlocked your full potential, and you must if you hope to beat Discord."

Serena hung her head. She knew her mother was right. She had come a long way in mastering the crystal since the early days when she used it to defeat Beryl and Metallia, but she had barely scratched the surface of what that crystal was capable of. She had felt it building over the years, and it scared her. She had almost let it consume her during the fight with Chaos. She had felt the wildness of raw power racing across every nerve ending in her body and had panicked; pushing that energy back down and locking it back inside the crystal.

"I have felt it." she said softly. "It's a frightening feeling though. I feel so out of control, and it scares me."

Queen Serenity gave her an understanding look. "I know pure moon magic can be an overwhelming thing, but you have nothing to fear from it. You must embrace it fully to defeat Discord. You cannot win without it. It is also the only way that you will ever be able to form Crystal Tokyo and ascend to the throne. This is your destiny, Serenity. If you unlock your true powers, you would rival Melody and the Celestial Crystal. You even have the potential to surpass her."

Serena shivered a little. That was a massive amount of power. She remembered how strong Melody had been at a young age. Jess may only have a small percent of that power, but she had lived to adulthood this time and had expanded the powers of that shard. It was hard to imagine how much power she would wield once she was reunited with the complete crystal. And to think that she herself could equal that, definitely scary stuff.

"It doesn't matter anyway." she muttered. "I don't have the crystal with me. I'm in here, and it's out there. Even if Jess brings the crystal to him, I don't think Discord is just going to let me go."

"Don't lose faith my darling." Queen Serenity told her. "I seriously doubt Endymion will allow you to remain here for too long. He's always been a little maniacal where you're concerned."

Serena giggled. "True, but it's usually me having to rescue him from crazy women who have captured him. Of course there was that time that he saved me from Prince Diamond when he kidnapped me. I just hope he's careful."

Queen Serenity began to turn hazy. "The sun is nearing the horizon so I must leave you now. I pray that you find the strength to overcome this challenge and find the true you buried deep inside. Embrace your legacy, my daughter. I know that you will become the queen I always knew you could be."

"Thank you, mother. I hope I make you proud." Serena said as her past mother faded from view.

Queen Serenity's voice whispered through the room. "I have always been proud of you. You are a true princess of the moon. Never let anyone tell you different."

With those departing words, Serena felt hope flare to life inside her. There was something she could do. She didn't have to just sit back and do nothing. Darien and the others would come for her, she was sure of that. Maybe she could help somehow.

Leaning back, she closed her eyes and searched deep inside herself. It was faint, but she still had a small amount of residual energy from the Silver Crystal inside her. It wasn't enough to help her escape, but maybe she could use it.

She wasn't sure how far away she was from Tokyo, but it must have been a considerable distance because she had tried to contact Darien through their link when Discord had first locked her in. The combination of the distance and the dark energy surrounding this place had made it impossible. She was about to see if she could change that.

Latching on to the almost nonexistent bond that she shared with her soul mate, she began to funnel that small amount of Silver Crystal power into it, hopefully strengthening it enough that she would be able to contact him. Once she had used all the energy she could without hurting herself, she began trying to reach out to him.

* * *

Rini sat quietly in the darkness in the front hall of the Elysian palace staring out one of the large windows that looked out over the beautiful landscape. Everyone else had finally given in to exhaustion a couple of hours ago and had decided to catch a few hours sleep before putting the final touches on their plan.

Yes, they had finally come up with a plan. It wasn't perfect, and there were so many things that could go wrong, but it was the best they could come up with. They would teleport to a spot near Discord's lair and try to draw him out. After Talon and Anya had explained the security measures around the place and how it was like a maze inside, they had decided that it was safer to meet him on neutral ground. They just had to hope that he brought Serena with him when he came.

Rini sighed and laid her head against the cool glass of the window. She wished Pluto would hurry up and come back. She was the one that had the grand plan, one that she hadn't shared with anyone, not even her. She wasn't sure if they were doing the right thing by going to confront Discord. It could end up screwing things up worse than they were.

The sound of footsteps had Rini turning around, wondering who else was up wandering around in the middle of the night. She wasn't really surprised though to see Jess making her way quietly down the stairs.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Rini asked when the blonde girl reached the bottom.

Jess jumped a little at the unexpected sound of her voice, but relaxed when she saw who it was. "No, not really. I tried for a while, but I kept having kooky dreams. On top of that, I keep hearing this noise."

That picked Rini's interest. "What kind of noise?"

Jess shook her head. "I don't know. It's a weird humming sound. Sometimes it almost sounds like music. I thought someone might have a radio playing or something. You mean you haven't heard it?"

"Nope" Rini told her. "Everything's been quiet since everyone went to bed."

Jess's brow wrinkled in thought. "That's strange. I know I heard something. I could have sworn it was coming from down here." She cocked her head to the side. "There it is again. Are you seriously telling me you don't hear that? It's louder than ever."

Rini strained to listen. "No. I'm not hearing it."

Jess growled. "I know I'm not going crazy. I hear it. It sounds like it's coming from this way."

She turned and began walking down the hall, Rini hot on her heels. They entered one of the large sitting rooms that were lined with bookcases that contained hundreds of books. When Rini realized what room they were in, she became excited and jumpy. Now she knew what it was that Jess must have been hearing.

"That's weird." Jess muttered as she walked over to one of the many bookshelves. "It sounds like it's coming from behind here."

She reached out and touched the bookcase. A sharp squeak left her as there was a small flash of blue light and the whole unit slid out, revealing a long set of stairs leading down.

She turned to Rini with a grin. "Wicked. This is just like something that you would see in a movie. Should we see where it goes?"

Rini knew exactly where the stairs led and what awaited them at the end, but she kept that part to herself. "Yeah, let's go."

The two girls began making their way down the winding stairway. Rini remained quiet for the most part, but couldn't help giggling quietly as Jess kept up a whispered montage about Dracula and Frankenstein's castles and how it would be cool to find the legendary vampire or mad scientist at the bottom.

She finally quieted when they reached the end of the stairs. There was a large arched doorway and a soft light came through it. She turned to Rini and arched a brow.

"Come on." she said, grabbing the younger girl by the arm. "I can hear it loud and clear now. It's coming from in here."

She pulled her through the archway and into the cavern, and then came to a dead stop at the sight in front of her.

"Wow" she sighed at the sight of the beautiful cavern and the many crystals that were suspended all around. "This is way cooler than a vampire or a monster. I've never seen anything like this. Oh man, I wish I had my sketchbook with me."

She gazed around in wonder. Crystals in every color of the rainbow surrounded them, but it was the glow of blue light that drew her eyes upward. A small, sapphire blue, star shaped crystal was hanging above a tall stone pillar. Shining brightly, it seemed to draw her in.

"Rini" she whispered. "Is that what I think it is?"

Rini nodded her head, tears in her eyes. "Yeah. It looks like you've finally found your crystal."

Jess seemed to be in a trance as she steeped closer to the pillar and looked up. The crystal looked so beautiful and innocent, but underneath, it hummed with power. It seemed to reach out and wash over her in comforting, pulsating waves.

The whole cavern seemed to begin vibrating in synch with the energy. It shook the entire palace, causing the people that were sleeping in the beds to jerk upright. They all jumped from the beds and began quickly throwing on clothes and shoes before dashing from the rooms to find the cause of the disturbance.

Darien and Andrew were the first ones in the hall. They almost crashed into each other in their haste.

"Where's Jess?" Darien asked as the two of them began running for the stairs. They could hear doors banging open as the others behind them began leaving their rooms.

Andrew shook his head. "I have no idea. She wasn't in bed when I woke up. She's close though. I can still feel her."

Darien let him take the lead as they reached the bottom of the stairs, knowing that Andrew would lead them straight to her. They veered to the right and ran down the long hallway. They both skidded to a stop when they reached the door to the sitting room and saw that the secret passage to the crystal cavern was open.

"Oh shit." Andrew muttered. "You don't think…"

Darien's breath froze for a moment as he felt the golden crystal pulse inside of him. It was a feeling unlike any he had experienced in a thousand years. "Yeah, it's exactly what I think. She's found the crystal."

Without another word, they both headed down the steps to the cavern, the rest of the group following behind them. Rini met them at the doorway when they reached the bottom.

"Thought you guys were going to miss the show." she said with a grin. "You're just in time."

They all stepped into the cavern to see Jess standing near the pillar and looking up at the crystal with a look of wonder on her face. She turned at the sounds of their footsteps.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" she whispered in awe. "I had no idea that it would be down here, but it was like it called out to me. It wanted me to find it."

Two flashes of white light heralded Helios's and Aurora's arrival along with all three feline advisors. Luna and Artemis wore identical looks of shock, but Nebula gazed at her young charge with a mixture of pride and sadness.

"So the time has finally come." the rust colored cat said softly. "You have been leading up to this point since I set your feet on this path five years ago. I have watched you grow from an awkward teenager into a mature young woman. You have finally opened your mind enough for the crystal to sense that it is time for you to be reunited with each other. The circle of your destiny has been completed just as Queen Serenity planned all those centuries ago."

Aurora walked over and pulled the young woman that she had raised like a daughter into a tight hug. "I'm proud of you, Jessie. You have overcome many obstacles to get here, but you never backed down for a minute. I always knew, from the moment you were born, that you would someday regain your legacy."

"Let's not be too hasty." Helios said. He snapped his fingers and the crystal floated down to hover in front of Jess. "Destiny cannot be forced on anyone. Jess still has the right to make her own choices for her life."

"Are you saying I can choose not to do this?" Jess asked, wide eyed.

Helios gave her a gentle smile. "Of course. The decision has always been yours to make. You can either accept the crystal and embrace the power that comes with it, or you can turn and walk away. The choice is yours."

"But how do I know which one is the right one to make?" she asked in a bewildered tone.

There was a flash of fuchsia light and Sailor Pluto appeared. "You must listen to your heart. It will tell you which direction to go. But make sure you listen to what it's trying to tell you. Right now you are standing at the crossroads of the timeline. At this moment you have two very different futures in front of you. So make sure you choose wisely."

"Great" Jess grumbled. "I'm so glad you came back just in time to give me a riddle, Pluto. It would be much easier if you just told me what each choice holds. You know, behind curtain #1 you have a bright happy future, behind curtain #2 lies certain death. It sure would make things easier."

Pluto shook her head. "I can't influence the timeline in any way. I can get away with giving it a little push every now and then, but something of this magnitude can only be decided by you."

Jess felt an arm settle around her shoulders and looked up to see Andrew by her side. He gazed down at her with that crooked grin that always seemed to make her melt.

"Hey" he said softly. "I'll be right beside you no matter what you decide."

She nodded. "I know." Looking around, she took in the faces of all of her friends. She knew that they would all support her as well. They had fought many battles to keep this planet safe, and now she was a part of that as well.

She leaned up and placed a lingering kiss on Andrew's lips. Pulling back she smiled at him. "I love you."

He pulled her close and hugged her tightly. "I love you too."

She pulled away from him and turned back to Helios, Pluto, and Aurora. They all looked at her expectantly.

"Have you made your decision?" Helios asked.

"Yes I have." she said firmly. Then she turned and began walking away.

"Wait!" Rini called after her, sounding panicked. "This is the choice you're making?"

Jess paused, and then turned to grin at them all devilishly. "Nope. I just felt like screwing around with all of you for a moment. Consider it payback for keeping secrets from me." She held her hands out in front of her. "Now let's see if I remember any of Pluto's old lessons."

"Temerarius meus vox crystal. Adeo mihi." she called out an ancient summoning spell that Pluto had taught her centuries ago when she had trained her in the time plane. Gasps were heard as the crystal sailed across the room and landed in her outstretched hand.

There was a flare of blue light as the missing shard emerged from her chest to hover in front of her, its energy pulsating in time to that of the crystal. Darien felt his crystal pulse again, reacting to the power of the crystal, and Rini let out a sharp cry as she pulled the Silver Crystal from her pocket. It was shining brightly.

A thin stream of energy left the Silver Crystal at the same time a stream of golden energy left Darien. The two energies twisted together, wrapping around the blue crystal and the shard. The two pieces came together and began knitting itself back into one.

There was a final flash of blue as the now completed crystal disappeared into Jess's chest. Her symbol flared on her forehead for a moment before flickering and fading away. She sank to her knees, panting for breath.

Everyone ran over to her. Andrew reached her first and knelt down next to her. "Are you okay?"

She looked up at him, and then smirked. "Yeah. I feel great actually. Talk about a rush. Discord better watch his ass is all I've got to say. Once we get Serena back and we all team up on him, there's no way he can win."

* * *

Serena's eyes snapped open and she let her head fall back against the stone wall behind her with a resounding thud. Immediately regretting the action, she rubbed the back of her head while muttering curses under her breath.

It felt like she had spent hours trying to reach Darien through their link, but it had yielded no results. No matter how hard she concentrated, she hadn't been able to reach him. All she had succeeded in doing was tiring herself out and wearing her nerves down to a frazzle.

'_This sucks!' _she thought to herself. She had never thought of herself as being claustrophobic before, but being locked inside this room with no way to get out was seriously starting to make her consider it. If only she had been able to hear Darien's voice, it would have made this a little more bearable.

Frustrated tears began to sting her eyes, and she desperately wanted to give in to them. But luckily, the logical part of her brain was still functioning and it told her that losing it now wouldn't help her situation in the least.

'_Come on, Serena, buck up.' _she tried giving herself a little pep talk. _'You can't give up yet. You've got to keep trying. You know that Darien and the others are trying their best to get to you. There has to be a way to reach him.'_

Feeling somewhat reenergized, she closed her eyes again and concentrated on the faint link. After a few minutes, she was rewarded with the feeling of a slight brush of golden energy. It wasn't much, but she latched on to it and began calling out Darien's name in her mind.

Back in Elysian, Darien had just walked into the kitchen where everyone had gathered to make their final preparations before leaving out to find Discord in order to get Serena back. He poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter.

Amy had her computer out and was typing furiously. Mina, Lita, and Raye were looking over her shoulders. Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite were huddled together having a whispered conversation. Amara, Michelle, Hotaru, and Trista sat near one of the large windows, staring out at the Elysian landscape. Talon and Anya were seated together at the table, both silent and watchful. Rini and Jess were still upstairs. Andrew had ushered them up the stairs earlier and insisted that they get some rest.

Darien turned his attention to the chattering inner scouts. They were all staring at the screen of the Mercury computer with looks of shock on their faces.

"Did I miss something?" Darien asked them.

"I'm not entirely sure." Amy replied. "A little while ago the computer picked up on what appeared to be a trace amount of Silver Crystal energy. Even though Serena doesn't have the crystal, she would still carry a small amount inside her. The only way it would show up is if she was trying to use it for something."

"But what could she…" Darien began, but stopped when he felt something nudge at his mind.

_'Darien'_

His coffee cup hit the floor, shattering into a hundred pieces. "Serena" he whispered.

"What?" everyone exclaimed at once.

He held up a hand to tell them to be quiet. Closing his eyes, he latched on to the weak connection he felt. _'Serena?'_

'_Oh, thank god. I wasn't sure if this would work or not.' _he heard her voice say.

'_Are you okay?' _he asked quickly.

'_I'm fine.' _she reassured him. _'Discord hasn't done anything to me. I think he's waiting to see if Jess will actually bring him the crystal or not.'_

Relief swamped him at the news that she was unharmed. He opened his eyes and saw that everyone had gathered around him. They all had concerned looks on their faces.

"She's okay." he told them. "Now I know what she was using the leftover energy for."

Sighs of relief were heard all around, but Darien ignored them.

_'Serena, can you tell where you are?'_

_'Not really. I'm in a room with stone walls. There's not much to it, just a bed and a few other pieces of furniture.'_

_'That doesn't really help. Talon and Anya say that place is like a maze. You could be anywhere.'_

_'I thought I smelled food cooking earlier. So I think I might be near a kitchen. Does that help?'_

Despite the seriousness of the situation, he couldn't help but chuckle. _'Leave it to you to know where the food is.'_

_'Don't start, you jerk. I was just trying to be helpful. I hate sitting here helpless and waiting.'_

_"I know.'_ he soothed her. _'I'll be right back.'_

He turned his attention back to the others. "The room she's in sounds pretty nondescript, but thinks she might be near a kitchen. Does that sound right?"

Talon nodded. "There are several small chambers that surround a communal living area where the members of my clan stay. There is a kitchen and dining hall there. So that's where she must be."

Anya agreed. "Discord knew that without her powers she wouldn't be able to escape. If she did somehow manage to slip out, there are enough people around to notice her. That also means that there are no youma guarding her. Our people won't allow them in there."

"It still doesn't do us any good." Talon replied. "Even though we know the area she's being kept in, Discord would still sense us if we try to get in."

"True" Darien agreed. "But if we draw the bastard out and he doesn't bring Serena with him, maybe somebody can sneak in and get her out while he's distracted."

Kunzite began grinning. "I like the sound of that. It's definitely the best plan we've come up with so far."

The rest of the generals and the scouts nodded their agreement with hopeful looks on their faces. For the first time since Serena had been taken, they truly felt that they might be able to get her back and win this fight.

'_Serena, are you still there?' _Darien asked mentally.

He heard a sigh in his head. _'Yeah, I'm still here. It's not like I have anywhere else to go.' _Even though it was her telepathic voice and not her real voice, she still sounded like she was fighting tears.

'_Hang in there, sweetheart.' _he told her gently. _'We'll be there before you know it. Jess reunited with the crystal so we have plenty of ammunition. We're going to get you away from him and then we're all going to kick some ass.'_

'_Wait a minute.' _she sounded panicked now. _'If Jess got the crystal back, you have to keep her away from here. That's exactly what Discord wants. He'll kill her.'_

"_Calm down. You've got to have a little more faith than that. It's not like she's coming in alone. All of us will be with her. Nobody's going to die.' _he tried to reassure her.

He heard a frustrated growl. _'Damn it! I need to get out of here. I need the Silver Crystal back. I want a piece of this guy.'_

Darien chuckled. _'Just sit tight. I'll be with you soon. I love you, Serena.'_

'_I'll be waiting. I love you too.'_

Rini, Andrew, and Jess walked in and observed all of the nervous excitement. They could tell in an instant that something had changed. They looked at each other in confusion.

"Okay, what did we miss?" Rini asked.

Darien gave them a quick rundown about Serena contacting him and the alternate plan they had come up with, getting them excited as well. Then he locked eyes with his former daughter, blue on blue.

"I hate to ask this of you, Jess, but I need a favor." he said solemnly.

Her steady gaze met his. "What do you need?"

"I need you to be the bait." he replied in a flat voice. "For either one of these plans to work, Discord is going to have to be severely distracted. And you're the best distraction we've got. It's going to be the only way to get to Serena."

She closed out Andrew's loud protests that were ringing out in the background and shared a conspiratorial grin with Darien. "Oh, I think I can handle that."

**A/N **So that's it for now. Coming up next…Serena's rescue and the big showdown against Discord. What will happen now that the Celestial Crystal has come into play? And will Serena finally unlock the true powers of the Silver Crystal? I guess we'll have to wait and see. We're almost to the end. I'm thinking maybe two more chapters and then an epilogue along with a sneak peek into the sequel that at this time is being called The Galactic Trinity. Don't forget to review and let me know what you think. Catch ya next time!

~Sere~


	27. The Beginning of the End

**A/N **I know you guys have been waiting forever for this, and I apologize for the lateness. What can I say, I pulled a classic Serena move and had probably the worst klutz attack ever recorded. To make a long story short, I discovered that stairways, full laundry baskets, and a certain black cat that I'm now convinced is possessed by the devil don't mix. I banged myself up pretty good and did a number on my hand (the right one no less, and I happen to be right handed). So typing has been difficult for me. But I wanted to get this out for all of you. Anyhow, enough of the sob story, let's get down to business. I need to give out my hugs. BIG HUGS TO:

**madorno81**

**Ldsprincess**

**chimichurri **

**xo Usako ox**

**SailorPrincess1237**

**Silvermoonlight9**

**small town minx**

**CharmedSerenity3**

**TatianaRomanov**

**ange de l'aube**

**rainbabie**

**Swinkinator**

**S dot Serenity**

**hime-futatsu**

**LittlebitsD**

**SailorMercuryROCKS**

**Ms. Fairweather**

**Seredhiel05**

Thanks for reviewing my last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one as well. And to anyone who also reads my other story, What If, I hope to have an update for it soon. Just bear with me, I'm not moving as fast as I normally do. Now, on with the story.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 27

The Beginning of the End

"Now remember your training." the rust colored cat was telling her charge as they walked down the front steps of the palace in Elysian to join the group gathered in the yard. "Make sure you keep your guard up. And whatever you do…"

"I know, I know," Jess sighed wearily. "Keep my emotions under control. I've got it, Nebula. Geez, you'd think this is my first time going into a fight. You've been training me for five years for this. I'm not exactly an amateur anymore."

The feline sniffed disdainfully. "Be that as it may, this is the first time you've attempted this with your full powers. I think you're underestimating the effect they could have."

Jess giggled and shook her head. "Don't be silly. I feel great. To be honest, I don't feel any different than I did before. Yeah, there was an initial rush, but that wore off pretty quick. Don't worry so much."

"Don't worry she says." the cat muttered. "How can I not worry? They're only going to face one of the most powerful evil beings in the universe. Sure, nothing to worry about at all."

By that time, they had reached the others. They all stood around with determined expressions on their faces. This could be the biggest battle they had ever faced. Not only were they out to rid the world of evil once again, but also they were fighting to get back their leader, best friend, and princess.

"Is everyone ready?" Darien asked, looking around. When he received nods from all around he told them, "Okay, let's transform."

The area filled with bright flashes of multicolored light as everyone transformed into their alter egos. When it faded, the heroes of justice were ready for action.

At the sound of a gasp, they all turned to look at Sailor Shadow. She was still tall, slender, and blonde, but she no longer resembled the Sailor Shadow they had come to know in the last couple of months.

Instead of the solid navy blue fuku, her outfit now resembled the uniforms of the other sailor scouts. She had the same white body suit with the gauzy, see through short sleeves. Her skirt was dark blue trimmed with a stripe of silver and another of gold at the bottom. The bows on the front and back were also stripped silver and gold. Knee high navy colored boots and elbow length white gloves trimmed in the same color completed the look.

"Okay…wow…I wasn't expecting that." she said with a giggle.

"Cool" Crescent Moon cried, jumping up and down. "Now you're Super Sailor Shadow." She seemed like she was about to say more, but broke off as she stared, wide eyed over Shadow's shoulder.

Sailor Shadow turned to see what had caught the younger scout's attention. She let out a shriek and jumped back, only to stumble and land on her butt on the ground. "Holy shit! I wasn't expecting that either."

Instead of Tuxedo Mask, she was confronted with the sight of Prince Endymion. He looked every bit the prince of Earth in his black and silver armor.

He looked at both girls with a cocky grin. "You didn't expect me to not go into this fight in my strongest fighting form now did you?"

Shadow shook her head as she took Andrew's offered hand and he pulled her back up. "No. It just surprised me. Talk about a huge case of déjà vu. Thank goodness I already have all of my memories back or that would have triggered about a thousand right there."

"So are we ready or not?" Uranus asked, tapping her foot impatiently. "I'm ready to get this show on the road."

Jupiter cracked her knuckles. "No doubt. All this standing around is making me restless. I'm ready to kick some ass."

"Yes, we're ready." Endymion said looking at Talon. "I guess you're up."

Sailor Mercury handed Talon as small device. "This will trace your exact coordinates so we know where to teleport to. Once you're there, press this button. It will send a signal to my computer."

Talon closed his hand around the tracking device. "Understood. Expect to hear from us in a minute." He took Anya's hand and the two of them disappeared.

Andrew wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist and pulled her so that her back was against his front. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Remember, you don't stray an inch from my side. I don't want to take any chances on that asshole getting in any cheap shots at you."

She turned her head and kissed the tip of his nose. "I'll stay right by you. I promise."

He groaned a little. "I don't like this one bit. If I had my way, you would be staying here. Discord's going to be gunning for you something bad. Instead you're going in as bait to draw him out."

She laid a finger against his lips. "Hush. I'm only doing this so that Darien has time to get to Serena. After that we're going to blast this guy and go home. On top of that, I'll have you, the scouts, and the generals with me. I couldn't be any better guarded. That bastard won't be able to get near me."

Andrew sighed. "I hope you're right. I'd die if anything happened to you."

A beeping sound came from Mercury's computer. "There's our coordinates. Are we ready?"

Everyone answered in the affirmative. The ten scouts formed a circle while Endymion, the generals, and Andrew stood inside.

"Good luck." Helios called out to them from where he was standing with Aurora and the three guardian cats. He caught Crescent Moon's eye for a moment and gave her a wink and a grin.

"All right scouts, let's do this." Venus said, stepping into her role as leader of the sailor scouts. "Venus Crystal Power!"

"Mercury Crystal Power!"

"Mars Crystal Power!"

"Jupiter Crystal Power!"

"Uranus Crystal Power!"

"Neptune Crystal Power!"

"Saturn Crystal Power!"

"Pluto Crystal Power!"

"Moon Crystal Power!"

Sailor Shadow took a deep breath. She had never done this before. "Celestial Crystal Power!"

"Sailor Teleport!"

In a flash, they all vanished.

* * *

Serena jerked upright as she heard the door to her chamber open. She had tired herself out earlier trying to keep the link with Darien open and had finally had to give it up. She was grateful that she had at least been able to talk to him for a few precious minutes. She knew that he and her friends were coming for her, but she was nervous for all of them. Discord wasn't going to back down easily. He wanted the Celestial Crystal more than anything, and Jess was bringing it right to him at great risk to herself.

'_Speak of the devil.' _Serena thought to herself as she watched her captor stride confidently into the room. She stood up to face him, she'd be damned if she huddled on the bed like a scared little girl in front of him.

He looked at her smugly with those glowing red eyes. "Well princess, it seems we have a little problem to confront. It seems you've been a naughty girl."

Serena glared at him, her eyes like two chips of blue ice. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Discord looked angry for a moment, and then he chuckled darkly. "Of course you do, Serenity. Did you honestly think that you could send out a message to your lover and I wouldn't sense it? I can feel every bit of energy that flows through this place, and yours is no exception."

Serena paled at his words. She hadn't thought of that earlier when she had contacted Darien. She had been so desperate to hear his voice that it hadn't even occurred to her that Discord might have known what she was doing.

Discord waved a careless hand. "It's of no consequence really. I knew that they would come to try to rescue you. Endymion and your scouts are quite loyal to you, princess. Now follow me. I have something to show you."

She really didn't have much of a choice. Without the Silver Crystal, she had no chance of fighting him. So she followed him out the door and down several long drafty hallways until they reached a large chamber.

The room was completely empty except for a large glowing orb hovering in the center of the room. Discord stepped toward it and motioned for her to follow. He waved his hand and a picture appeared in it. It showed several people walking through what appeared to be a rocky mountain pass.

Serena gasped as she recognized them as being the people closest to her. Talon and Anya were leading the way, followed by Darien, who she noticed was in his royal form, the generals, the scouts and Andrew were right behind them.

"They must be very brave or very foolish if they are willing to end the world for you." Discord said softly, his eyes trained on the form of Sailor Shadow. "I never thought the girl would bring me the crystal so easily. I was sure I was going to have to try other ways of persuasion. But here she comes, just like a lamb to the slaughter."

"You leave them alone." Serena ground out between clenched teeth. "They've never done anything to you. None of us were responsible for your imprisonment. My parents and Endymion's father were the ones that locked you away. It has nothing to do with us."

"Tsk Tsk, Serenity." he admonished her. "Revenge is only a minor factor in all of this. This is about power. Surely you know, being a powerful woman yourself, that it's always the person that holds the most power that's in charge. That crystal that your former daughter carries has more than enough power to make the universe bow to me."

Serena's head snapped around to look at him. "We won't let you. Others have come to this planet before in search of power, and we have beaten them every time. You won't get away with this."

Discord walked over and gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. "But I have already won, princess. The moment I come face to face with your precious little Melody, the game ends. Of course this planet won't survive, but that won't be a huge loss. There are thousands more out there for the taking."

Serena jerked her chin out of his grasp. "I thought you wanted people to bow before you. Why would you destroy the billions of people living on Earth if that's what you want?"

He looked at her with something that actually looked like amusement in his eyes. "I said the Earth would be destroyed, but I never said anything about being the one to send it to its demise. The Earth will fall, but it won't be by my hand."

"You're not making any sense." Serena said coldly.

"It doesn't matter." he replied just as coldly. "Now let's see how far your friends can make it."

He snapped his fingers and suddenly two dozen youma appeared in the picture that was projected in the orb, right in front of the rescuers.

"No" Serena gasped as she watched her friends power up in preparation of fighting the obstruction. "You had no intention of letting them come all the way here, did you?"

He sneered at her. "Of course not, dear Serenity. I enjoy a good game, but I see no reason to drag this out any longer than I need to. They have wandered into my territory and were foolish enough to bring the Celestial Crystal with them. I won't take any chances of having it slip through my fingers. So it seems prudent to act sooner rather than later. I just thought you might like to see them one last time before they all die. But don't worry; I'll make sure you join them soon. I'm not completely heartless."

"Yeah right." Serena muttered sarcastically. "You're a poster child for warmth and compassion."

"Come now, princess. Sarcasm doesn't suit you at all." He turned his eyes back to the vision of the unfolding fight, frowning a bit as he saw that about half of his forces had already been disposed of by the combined powers of their opponents.

"Worthless youma scum." he muttered. "At least they served their purpose. And now it's time for me to take my leave, moon princess. I have a date with destiny to keep. I apologize for not taking you with me, but I'm sure that is exactly what your little friends want. Feel free to watch from here as the world crumbles before your very eyes. Adieu."

And just like that he was gone, leaving a wild eyed Serena alone in the chamber with the sight of her battling loved ones before her.

"I have to get out of here. I have to help them." she whispered frantically to herself as she flew across the room and wrenched open the heavy door. She hadn't opened it more than six inches before the snarling of the two youma that were now standing guard outside forced her to shut it again.

Feeling alone and helpless, she leaned dejectedly against the wall. Tears of despair were staining her cheeks as she pounded her fists against the rough stone.

"Damn it! What do I do now?" she wondered as he slid down to the floor. Her friends were fighting to save her at the risk of their own lives. And she was trapped in here, unable to help.

'_Darien' _she thought desperately, tapping into her already severely drained energy. _'I don't know if you can hear me. But if you can, you have to get out of there now. Discord is coming.'_

She broke the link and laid her head on her pulled up knees, praying with all her might that he had heard her and got him and their friends out of there before they were all senselessly killed.

* * *

"Ouch!" Crescent Moon complained as she and Sailor Shadow hit the ground together pretty hard. "I didn't know we were playing tackle football."

"Hey, it was either that our let you get your head knocked off." Shadow grumbled. "That youma almost had you there."

Endymion and Andrew rushed over to them, concern blazing in both sets of eyes.

"Are you two okay?" Endymion asked them quickly. "That was a pretty nasty fall."

"Yeah, yeah, we're fine." Shadow grumbled as she pushed herself up off the ground. She gritted her teeth against the pain tearing through her back. When she had knocked Crescent Moon out of the way of the oncoming youma, she had turned her body to make sure she took the brunt of the fall.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Andrew exploded. "You promised not to move from my side."

She held up a silencing hand. "Save it, Drew. I know what I promised. But if you think for one minute that I'm going to stand by while some bastard youma takes a cheap shot at one of my friend's back, you've got another thing coming."

"All right. Don't get so worked up." Andrew said in a placating tone. "I just worry about you."

"I know." she mumbled as she looked around at the youma that were exploding into dust left and right thanks to the combined efforts of the scouts and the generals. "Something doesn't feel right. These youma are so weak that they're not really posing much of a challenge."

Endymion nodded. "You're right. I think this is just Discord's way of toying with us. Or perhaps he thought that this would weaken us before we reached him. Either way, this is far from over."

He paused for a moment and put his fingers to his temples. Then he heaved a big sigh. "Seems like he's ready to begin. Serena just told me that he's coming. I can assume now that he's not bringing her with him since she only said he was coming."

Shadow looked at him steadily. "We knew that might happen. So I guess we're going with plan B. You and Talon need to find away to sneak out of here and I'll handle distracting Discord."

"I don't like this." Andrew growled. "This whole situation smells fishy."

"Yeah, it does." Shadow agreed. "But we don't have a choice. We've only got one chance to get Serena back, and we're going to have to take it. We need her if we have any hope of putting an end to all of this."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Endymion asked worriedly.

Shadow heaved a sigh in exasperation. "I said I was. Now get going before he shows up. I'm sure I can hold him off for a while, but the sooner Serena gets here, the better."

"Right." Endymion said tersely. With a swish of his cape, he turned and ran toward where Talon had just finished off one of the youma. After a few moments of whispered conversation, the two men, along with Anya, disappeared into the concealing maze of boulders that lined the mountain pass.

"So what do we do now?" Venus asked as the last youma exploded into dust.

"Now we wait." Kunzite replied from beside her. "Discord's no fool. I'm sure he'll make his move soon."

Almost as if Kunzite's words had preordained it, a fierce wind suddenly blew in, accompanied by the sound of a deep, evil laughter.

Discord appeared before them, but he wasn't alone. Grouped behind him was a small army of some of the most intimidating youma the heroes had ever seen. Although human like in appearance, each youma had a body built like that of a seasoned warrior. In addition to that, not only was each creature armed to the teeth with various weapons, but also the dark energy around them was visible as it crackled around them.

"Not good." Mercury grumbled under her breath as she scanned the newcomers with her computer. "These are not ordinary youma like we have faced before. They are much more powerful."

Discord chuckled darkly. "Very perceptive of you Sailor Mercury. Yes, these are creatures of my own creation. I have been nurturing them with dark energy for centuries in order to turn them into the ultimate fighting machines. I believe they will prove to be more than a match for the famed heroes of Earth."

"Bastard" Shadow snarled under her breath. "I thought he was supposed to be oh so powerful. Yet he brings an army with him so he can hide behind them. What a coward."

"I'm afraid you have misread my intentions, my dear Princess Melody." Discord replied in an amused sounding voice. "This is just for entertainment to pass the time until your other little friends join us."

He grinned maniacally at their collective gasp. "There's no need for you to be so surprised. I'm perfectly aware that Prince Endymion, along with my two traitors, are on the way to try to rescue Princess Serenity. Not that it matters. As you have already seen, the Silver Crystal has no effect on me."

Sailor Shadow clenched her fists. "Serena might not have been able to do anything to you, but perhaps I can. I have reclaimed my birthright and I'll use it against you if I have to."

Discord threw back his head and laughed. "Pitiful little princess. Do you honestly think I'm any more scared of you than I am your mother? You may have the crystal, but you have no idea how to use it. I have observed your fighting and you are no more powerful than you were a week ago. The power is just sitting dormant because you don't know how to unleash it. So you are no threat to me. It will be easy to take it from you. And in my capable hands I will be able to use that vast power to conquer the universe."

Shadow gritted her teeth at his words. It was true. She had thought that her attacks would have been much more powerful now that she had reunited with the Celestial Crystal. But when they had begun fighting the youma earlier, she had been dismayed to find that energy levels were the same as they had been before. It felt no different than the countless other youma she had fought in the past. But she wasn't going to let him know that.

"I thought this was between you and me." she countered brusquely. "Why do we have to go through all of these theatrics? You said it was me you wanted. Well, here I am."

Andrew grabbed her arm and jerked her back against him so he could lean down and hiss in her ear. "What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed? You're practically calling him out."

Discord clucked his tongue. "I would listen to your lover if I were you, princess. There's no need for you to rush to your death. Our time will come soon enough. Your crystal shall be mine. Now, let's see what you are really made of. Youmas attack!"

* * *

Endymion followed Talon and Anya through the twisted maze of corridors in the underground cavern. They had been lucky so far and had not come across anyone, human or youma, that might have hindered their progress.

"It's not much farther now." Talon told him. "The living quarters are only a couple of passages away. Once we reach the common area it shouldn't be too hard to figure out which chamber she's being kept in.

The dark haired prince nodded in acknowledgement and continued his brisk pace behind them. His heart was thumping madly at the thought of soon having his beloved back in his arms where she belonged.

He tried reaching out to sense her presence, but the dark energy surrounding this place was putting a serious damper on that ability. He found it amazing that Serena had even been able to contact him at all while she was here. The evil power was almost suffocating.

They reached an intersection in the halls and Talon and Anya veered off to the right. Endymion went to follow, but a glimmer of feeling had him turning toward the left.

"Wait." he called out to them. "I think she may be this way."

Talon and Anya turned back when they heard his call, both of them with questioning looks on their faces.

Talon shook his head. "I thought we agreed that she was being kept near the kitchen. If she is, there is no way she's in that direction. The only thing that way is Discord's private quarters. Nobody ever goes in there. I think Bastian and I were probably the only people to ever enter."

Endymion rolled his eyes in exasperation. He could no longer deny the feeling that was pulling him toward the left hall. Serena's pure aura was calling to him, leading him in the right direction. "Well, I guess he must have moved her, because I'm telling you that she is this way. Now are you coming or not?"

With a swish of his cape, the earth prince spun and began running down the dark corridor, following the faint call that would lead him to his princess.

Talon and Anya stared after him for a moment before turning to look at each other and shrugging.

"They have a very strong connection, don't they?" Anya whispered softly.

Talon nodded. "Yes they do. I guess we better go after him. There's no telling what he might run into in that part of the cavern."

They ran after Endymion and caught up with him when he reached a corner. They all stopped and peered cautiously around the wall.

Two large youma appeared to be standing guard outside a large wooden door. Endymion knew without a doubt that Serena was being held there.

"She's in there. I know it." he whispered, more to himself than to his companions. "I've just got to figure out how to get rid of those two so I can get to her."

Talon grinned at him. "Easy enough. I'll take one and you take the other."

Endymion returned his grin and unsheathed his sword, which began to glow gold. "Sounds good to me."

Talon pulled his own sword from his scabbard and it began to resonate with energy as Anya began chanting, feeding her magical energy into him. "Let's do it."

The two men threw themselves around the corner, taking the youma by surprise. The monsters recovered quickly from the sight of the two sword wielding men and immediately went on the attack.

The stone walls grumbled and shook as blasts of energy collided in bright flashes of light

* * *

Serena's eyes widened in horror as she watched the orb, seeing the battle that was taking place. Thanks to Discord's treacherous ways, her friends were fighting for their lives. They were giving it their all, as always, but these suped up youma were wearing them down fast.

She continued watching with tears in her eyes Venus launched her Love and Beauty Shock at a nearby monster, only to have it miss. The youma then sent her and Kunzite, who had jumped in front of her, slamming into a large boulder.

Jupiter and Nephrite both hit the ground hard a few moments later as one of the youma reflected Jupiter's Oak Evolution back at them.

She could see Mercury typing rapidly on her computer, trying to come up with a strategy. Zoicite, Mars, and Jadeite were all covering her.

All of the outers were still on their feet at the moment, along with Sailor Crescent Moon, Sailor Shadow, and Andrew, but they were all starting to show signs of fatigue.

Serena anxiously kept searching the image, but she could not see any sign of Darien anywhere. She felt frozen in fear that perhaps he had already fallen and she just hadn't seen it. Images of his broken and bleeding body were beginning to plague her mind.

'_Get a grip, Serena.' _she lectured herself. _'Darien's fine. You would know if something had happened to him. After all, he's Tuxedo Mask. He always comes to your rescue.'_

Another voice, softer and more cultured, popped up. _'Endymion was a gallant warrior as well. But that wasn't enough to save him in the end.'_

'_Shut up, Serenity.' _she growled at the consciousness of her past self. She had enough going on in her mind right now without dredging up memories of what happened a thousand years ago.

She gasped as she saw a youma heading straight for an unsuspecting Crescent Moon. Luckily, Pluto saw it and hit it with a Dead Scream, knocking it off course.

'_That's it. I've got to find a way out of here. They need me.' _she thought frantically as she began searching every nook and cranny in the chamber. Perhaps there was a secret hidden passage or something.

The room suddenly shook and a few loud booms were heard from the other side of the door. She rushed to it and opened it just a crack so that she could see into the hall.

Nothing had prepared her for this sight. Darien, in his full royal armor, and Talon were fighting the two youma that had been standing guard outside the door. She watched with pride as her prince maneuvered himself easily around the humanoid youma he was currently engaged in battle with.

Her heart swelled with emotion. _'He came for me. He's actually here.' _she kept repeating to herself over and over.

Her elation didn't last long, however. The stones underfoot were damp and extremely slick. Darien lost his footing for a second and went tumbling to the ground, knocking the breath out of him. The youma raised a sword high in the air, preparing to shove it into his opponent's back.

Serena saw red as she remembered the moment of Endymion's death with Beryl's sword embedded in his back. There was no way she was going to let that happen again. They had overcome too many obstacles to be together to let it all be taken away.

She flung the door wide and shrieked, "Oh hell no you don't!"

She ran over and threw herself on the youma's back before it had any idea what was going on. She wrapped her arms around its neck and began squeezing tightly, choking it.

Tears of rage were now flowing down her cheeks. "He's mine, damn it!" she screamed. "I'm sick and tired of people always trying to take him away from me. It's not going to happen this time. Nobody is ever going to separate us ever again. Not even you."

The youma had other ideas. It had gotten over the shock of having the hysterical woman throw herself on it. She was just a mere human, and she had no hope of inflicting any damage.

It reached back with one arm and grabbed her in a large hand. With a slight flick of the wrist, it tore her off of him and tossed her like a rag doll right into a stone wall. With a sneer, it began to stalk toward her.

By this time, Darien had recovered enough to sit up. He looked over to where his love lay in a heap on the floor, the youma closing in on her. The words that she had screamed moments before still rang in his ears.

'_You're right, Serena. Nothing's going to stand in our way this time. It's time to end this.' _he thought.

He felt the power of the Golden Crystal rush through his body. It felt stronger and more intense than anything he had felt in his life. The usual glow surrounded him, but this time his normally midnight blue eyes glowed gold as well.

"Enough of this bullshit." he snarled as he released the energy in a rush. There was a bright flash of gold and the loud sound of howls as both the youma he had been fighting and the one Talon was facing disintegrated into dust.

He rushed to Serena's side and rolled her over gently before pulling her into his arms. "Sere, can you hear me? Please, baby, wake up."

She let out a moan as her eyes slowly opened to look at him. After taking a moment to get her thoughts together, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Oh Darien, I knew you'd come for me."

He chuckled and held her close. "Of course I did, Meatball Head. You didn't think I'd just leave you here, did you? Although, I think you ended up saving me as much as I saved you with that little stunt you pulled."

She pulled back to look at the piles of youma dust on the floor. Then she turned questioning eyes on him. "What did you do? I could have sworn for a second there your eyes turned gold."

He shrugged. "I got pissed and I guess the Golden Crystal didn't like that. I felt its power flare up inside me and then I just released it."

Serena squealed and hugged him again. "You unlocked your crystal's true power. That's great. It should be easier for you to use it now."

He tipped her chin up and gave her a brief, but loving kiss. "I don't know about that. But speaking of crystals, I've got something for you." He pulled the Silver Crystal that Rini had finally handed over to him out of a pocket. "Your Silver Crystal, my princess."

She sighed in relief as her hand closed around the glittering crystal and she felt its energy begin to flow through her depleted body. "Thank goodness. It's hard to believe that I used to resent this crystal when I was fourteen. I just wanted to be a normal girl. Now I can't imagine my life without it."

Darien kissed her temple before whispering in her ear. "It's part of who you are. None of us asked for the burden of protecting this planet, but I don't think the world could have asked for a better savior than you, my love."

"Hmm Hmm" came the sound of a throat being cleared. Talon had walked into the chamber that Serena had occupied and was gazing intently into the orb. "If you two are done with your little reunion, I would suggest getting back to business. It doesn't look like your friends are doing so well at the moment."

Serena gasped and pulled herself out of Darien's arms. "He's right. We've got to go before Discord kills them all." She pulled her transformation broach from her pocket. It had been useless before, but now that she had the Silver Crystal back she would be able to transform.

"Moon Eternal Power!" she cried, holding the broach up. The familiar ribbons and feathers surrounded her in a swirl of light. When it faded, Sailor Moon stood ready.

"All right, let's go." she said, turning to Talon. "I'm assuming you know the way out of here."

He nodded. "Of course. Follow me."

* * *

"Space Sword Blaster!" Uranus called out as she slashed at a nearby youma. She watched in grim satisfaction as it crumbled into nothing.

"Well, that's another one down." Neptune said from beside her. "What are we up to now, five?"

Saturn shook her head at them. "I think it's more like ten, actually. Venus and Jupiter got one few moments ago and the generals managed to take out three. Add that to the one I defeated and the one that Crescent Moon blasted with the two Shadow and Andrew took out, that puts us at about ten."

"And still plenty more to go." Pluto said in a monotone as she took in the number of youma still in their midst.

"Mercury, any sign of a weakness in them yet?" Mars ground out.

The blue haired scout shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. I don't know why, but my computer can't come up with any potential weak spots. We've just been lucky so far that some of our more powerful attacks have worked on them."

There was a flash of blue light as another youma exploded in a dusty shower. Sailor Shadow stumbled over to them tiredly, an equally exhausted looking Andrew at her side.

"This sucks." she panted as she bent over to place her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "Yeah we're doing some damage, but there's so many of them that we'll run out of energy before we can take them all down. And we still have that asshole floating up there in the sky to worry about too."

She glared up at Discord, who was hovering in mid air, watching the fight with an impassive look on his face. His eyes met with hers briefly and he smirked.

"That son of a bitch" she swore softly. Then she called out louder. "How much longer are you going to drag this out, asshole? Isn't this a waste of your precious time?"

He merely chuckled. "All in due time, princess. This is just a preview. The main event will be beginning shortly. And then the fireworks will start. But perhaps you could use another push in the right direction."

He snapped his fingers and three youma jumped forward and began charging the group.

Fire began crackling at Sailor Mars' fingertips. "Here we go again."

"Let's fry them." Jupiter gritted out as lightning began crackling around her.

"I'm so going to need a vacation after this." Shadow sighed as the blue glow of her power sparked to life.

Andrew whispered in her ear. "My thoughts exactly. I was thinking along the lines of you and me on a secluded beach. Nothing but surf and sand. Clothing is optional."

She blushed bright red, but her eyes never left the oncoming threat. She reached in for her powers and was about to let loose a blast when another voice suddenly rang out.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

The three youma froze as they were hit with a wave of silver energy, and then howled as they vanished.

"Sailor Moon!" everyone exclaimed as they all turned to see the golden haired sailor scout standing next to her prince on a ledge not far away. Huge sighs of relief were heard at the sight.

She smiled widely as she and Endymion jumped down to join them. "Hi guys. Did you miss me while I was gone?"

That was all she was able to say before she was engulfed by all of the scouts clamoring to give her a hug. Crescent Moon in particular locked her into an almost strangling embrace and acted like she was never going to let her go.

Sailor Moon choked out a strained laugh. "Rini, sweetie, I'm glad to see you too. But do you think you could let up a bit? I do still need to breath."

Rini let her go with an apologetic look in her shimmering eyes, but didn't move from the side of her mother's past self. "Oops, sorry."

Sailor Shadow finally saw an opening and took the opportunity to hug the woman who had become her best friend. "Omigosh Serena, I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried about you."

Sailor Moon returned the hug just as enthusiastically. "I know, but everything's okay now." She eyed Discord warily as he watched the reunion. "Now let's take care of this asshole so we can go home."

Shadow pulled back and shook her head sadly. "I can't do this. I thought if I got the crystal back I would be able to beat him, that it would make me stronger. But it didn't. I'm still the same as I always was. I know you all thought that I would have all of this amazing power, but I don't. I'm sorry."

Sailor Moon gripped the other girl's chin and forced her to meet her gaze. "Listen to me. No one expects you to be anything other than what you are. You are a warm and loving person, and all of our lives are brighter just from knowing you. You are dead wrong about how much power you have. It's inside you. You just have to find the way to unleash it. It's part of who you are, so don't be afraid of it."

She turned to look around at all of her friends. "None of us alone have the power to beat Discord. But if we have hope and we all work together, I know we can do this. If we unite together as one, we will be successful."

There was the sound of clapping, and all eyes turned to see Discord watching them with an amused look on his face.

"Pretty words, Serenity" he said in a mock complimentary tone. "But do you really believe them yourself? Your parents and that stupid earthling invoked one of the most ancient and powerful magics ever known in the hopes of destroying me, but they failed. The only thing they succeeded in doing was sealing me away for a time. What makes you think you will be able to do different?"

Sailor Moon's eyes snapped angrily. "Even if we can't destroy you, sealing you away would be better than allowing you to continue your rampage of death and destruction. And I promise you, a seal forged by the power of all of the planets in the solar system will not be easy to break through."

The look on Discord's face turned from bored amusement to furious outrage. "You insolent little moon brat! I'm tired of all of these games. This ends now."

He shot a blast of dark energy at them, scattering the members of the group in several different directions as they scrambled to get out of the way. With a snap of his fingers, he commanded his remaining youmas, "Kill them all. Make them suffer."

He watched as his minions went to do his bidding. His eyes locked on one particular figure. A feral grin stretched his lips as a gleaming sword manifested itself in his hands.

"This is the end, princess." he muttered to himself. "It's time for one last push to set you on the path to your destiny."

Then he dove toward Sailor Shadow with the sword extended.

* * *

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon shouted and watched in grim relief as the youma in front of her exploded.

"Serena, look out!" a voice called from behind her. She spun sharply to see that another youma had come up behind her and was almost on top of her. Startled, she froze. Just when the youma was about to overtake her, something flew by her face.

The youma ground to a halt and looked down in confusion. A red rose with a glowing golden aura around it was embedded in its chest. It threw back its head with a final howl as it burst into a cloud of dust.

Sailor Moon felt arms embrace her from behind and she heard ragged breathing as a pair of warm lips settled near her ear. "Oh god, Serena. Are you okay?"

She turned and smiled up at her dark prince. "I'm perfectly fine, thanks to you. That was a nifty trick."

He grinned back at her. "I didn't want to take the chance of hitting you. I knew my aim would be better with the rose, so I charged it up with some energy and hoped like hell that it would work."

She placed a hand on his cheek. "It worked beautifully. Once again you've come to my rescue. How's everyone else doing?"

He looked at her with pride. "Your pep talk must have inspired them. The youma are dropping like flies. There's only about five or six left."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him as tight as she could considering his armor was kind of in the way. "I know that this is going to work. We're going to beat him one way or another."

A sudden scream piercing the air had them breaking apart abruptly. It was a mournful, heartbreaking sound that shook them to their very cores. They looked around swiftly to locate the source of this sound, and both sets of blue eyes widened in horror when they saw the sight before them

Sailor Shadow knelt on the ground, cradling Andrew's upper body in her arms. Blood poured from a gaping wound in the blonde haired man's stomach, staining her gloves and her fuku a bright red. Tears poured down her cheeks as she clutched his limp, lifeless looking body to her.

Discord stood over them with a shiny sword, blood dripping down the blade, a smug look of satisfaction on his face. "Poor little princess. Your lover has fallen. So now what are you going to do?"

She leaned down and pressed her quivering lips to Andrew's still ones before laying him gently on the ground. She stood slowly as a sudden wind kicked up, blowing strands of long loose hair around her face and making her blood soaked skirt slap heavily against her thighs.

Though her face was tear streaked, her eyes were as cold as stone. They began to glow a bright sapphire, and soon the glow spread all over her body. The sky darkened as lightning streaked across it and thunder rumbled. The very earth seemed to be quaking in expectation of her next move as she stared evil in the face.

Her fists clenched into tight fists at her sides and she trembled with overwhelming emotions. "You bastard! I'll see you rot in hell for this."

"Ooo, scary!" Discord taunted her. "I'm beginning to think you're all talk and no action. Why don't you show me what you are really made of? Show me the true power of the Earth and the Moon."

"Shut up!" Sailor Shadow screamed. "You want to see what I can do? Fine! You took away my reason for living, so I don't care whether I live or die. I'LL KILL YOU!"

Sailor Moon and the others were running, trying to reach the distraught girl's side, but they were all knocked back by a massive energy wave as the whole area exploded in a burst of bright blue light.

Through this, Discord's voice could be heard cackling. "Now the prophecy will be fulfilled. The angel of darkness has risen, and the Earth will be no more."

**A/N **I know, it's a bit of a cliffhanger. But this was the best place to stop it. And what about poor Andrew? Jess has completely flipped out and is liable to blow up the entire planet. Don't worry too much, if I killed everybody off and ended the world, there wouldn't be a sequel. Heads up, the next chapter should be the last one with an epilogue to follow. I hope to begin posting on the sequel, The Galactic Trinity soon after that. Hopefully I'll get over my little accident soon and I'll be able to devote more time to these projects. Well it's late and I'm starting to hurt again, so I think I'm going to go take a pain pill and catch some Z's. Lots of love to you guys. Later!

~Sere~


	28. Pride of a Princess

**A/N **Okay guys, this is it, the last official chapter of this story. I admit I had a hard time writing this. I guess there's just a part of me that doesn't want it to end. But that's okay, I have a lot of other ideas bouncing around inside my head, and I'm looking forward to working on new projects. So I guess it's time to give out my hugs for my chapter 27 reviewers. Here we go. BIG HUGS TO:

**Ms. Fairweather**

**AngelMoon Girl**

**RosabelleElizabeth**

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**xo Usako ox**

**madorno81**

**CharmedSerenity3**

**TatianaRomanov**

**silvermermaidprincesskerry**

**LittlebitsD**

**hime-futatsu**

**S dot Serenity**

**LexyS**

**chimichurri **

**ange de l'aube **

**rainbabie **

**inufan155687 **

**Seredhiel05**

Thank you so much everyone for your wonderful words. They really help inspire me. And also thank you to everyone that inquired about my little injury after my accident. I'm feeling much better and healing nicely. My poor kitty has been exorcised and I'm looking forward to buckling down and working on my projects again. (At least when I have the time to. Sometimes it sucks being busy. I would rather spend my time writing) Anyhow, I'm going to shut up so you can read this. It was 28 pages on Word, so you might want to grab a snack and a drink and perhaps visit the bathroom before you start. I haven't written one this long since reliving the memories of the Silver Millennium. I hope you like it.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Chapter 28

Pride of a Princess

The bright blue light encompassed the landscape, making everyone cover their eyes as it temporarily blinded them. After a moment, it faded away into darkness as the clouds in the sky overhead grew darker, causing long, lengthening shadows to sweep in. Almost all of the light was extinguished, with the exception of one pinpoint of pulsating sapphire colored energy. The last few youma exploded into dust simultaneously.

But even this bright source of light was beginning to fade as the converging shadows began moving in to twist and turn around the figure that was located in the middle of all of this chaos.

Sailor Shadow stood trembling. At her feet lay the lifeless body of her soul mate. Scattered around her in a wide semicircle were her friends and allies. But none of this mattered to her at the moment. For now she was focused on the evil being that was standing several yards away from her, gloating over his handiwork.

Discord chuckled gleefully. "Not bad, but you can do better. You have so much more potential than this. Why are you still holding back? I can feel the rage burning inside of you. Let it out. This is what you were meant for, what you were born to do."

Sailor Shadow said nothing, but a flicker of annoyance flashed through her glowing blue eyes. A streak of lightning echoed her emotions, followed by a boom of thunder. The already trembling earth shook a little harder for a moment, knocking rocks loose from the canyon walls around them, before settling back down to a slight tremor. The very planet itself seemed to be waiting in anticipation.

Discord began walking in a large circle around her. "Why are you still fighting against this? I know the pain from the severing of your soul bond with your lover must be excruciating. Don't keep it all bottled up inside. All of your life you have been taught to hide your emotions. Wouldn't it be nice to escape all of that pain and anger? To escape this world that has done nothing but hurt you time and again?"

This brought a reaction from her. A single tear slid down her cheek. As she reached up to wipe it away, she was confronted with her blood soaked glove. She stared at it in confusion for a moment before directing her gaze to the body at her feet. More tears filled her eyes.

"You know I'm right." Discord hissed. "Life has always treated you unfairly, hasn't it? You didn't ask for this power, this responsibility, did you?"

Her eyes snapped back to his, shimmering pools of heartbreak and sadness. She shook her head slowly. "No, I didn't. I just wanted to be normal. I wanted to be like everyone else."

"I know you did," Discord crooned eerily. "Poor little thing. People always looked at you differently. Even your own parents couldn't see you for who you really were. Oh yes, they loved you and took care of you, but even they could see that you were not like other children."

Shadow dropped helplessly to her knees, not even taking notice of the pool of Andrew's blood that surrounded her as she stared silently at Discord. The energy glow around her faded away.

Discord clucked his tongue. "Now, now, don't go retreating back into you r shell. That won't do at all. I bet you've never even told your comrades about your lonely childhood, have you? You never explained to them the reason why you're scared to be alone. Well maybe it's time they learned just who you are."

He pointed a finger at her and a beam of dark energy shot from his finger. She made no move to protect herself. She just sat there, defeated.

Sailor Moon and the others gasped as Sailor Shadow's tiara melted away and her distinct insignia appeared on her forehead. Holographic figures appeared before them, capturing their attention.

* * *

_Five-year-old Jess looked identical to the way Melody had looked at the end of the Silver Millennium. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she glared at her parents._

"_I don't want to move away," she sobbed. She shook her head, making her curly, golden blonde ponytail slap her in the face. _

"_It's already a done deal. We're leaving at the end of the month." Josh told her._

_Kim tried to put her arm around her, but it was shoved away. She sighed. "Sweetie, this could be a good thing. You'll be able to start over, maybe even make some friends."_

"_I hate this," Jess screamed, stomping her foot. "I hate it. I hate it. I hate it."_

_The light bulb in a nearby lamp exploded into blue sparks. Both parents stared at her, wide eyed._

"_I think you need to go to your room until you calm down, young lady," Kim whispered._

_Josh muttered under his breath, "That right there is one of the reasons we need to get away from here."_

**Fast Forward**

_Eight-year-old Jess sat in an office, glaring at the principal behind the desk._

_The man cleared his throat. "So Jessica, why don't you tell me why you decided to bash that boy over the head with a vase."_

_She rolled her eyes. "He was calling me names, but I never touched that vase. You can even dust it for fingerprints."_

_The principal wagged a finger at her. "Don't get smart mouthed with me, missy. You have a history of not getting along with the other students, and you were alone in that room with that boy at the time. I don't think he did that to himself. Now go sit outside while I call your parents."_

_"Whatever," she grumbled as she got up and left the room._

_The massive wood desk trembled, making a coffee cup skitter to the edge before crashing to the floor._

**Fast Forward**

_Eleven-year-old Jess shoved the bully that was picking on a much younger boy._

_"Give him his kite back," she growled._

_The boy laughed. "Or what?"_

_She grabbed the front of his jacket and yanked him close. "Don't make me have to say it again."_

_The bully yelped as her eyes began glowing. He ripped himself away from her and scrambled back, tossing the kite in his hands back to its owner._

"_I had always heard that you were a freak, Alexander, but now I know the rumors are true. They should lock you up in the crazy house or something. You shouldn't be allowed to be around people," he sneered._

**Fast Forward**

_Fourteen-year-old Sailor Shadow fell to the ground after being backhanded by a computer generated youma. She didn't try to get up. She just lay there panting._

"_And just what was that?" Nebula demanded. "How in the world do you expect to protect the princess and the crystal if you can't even take care of a simple youma?"_

_Shadow pushed herself up off the floor. "Who cares? Let her take care of herself. I'm tired of being a punching bag for some little brat I've never even met."_

_Nebula gasped. "What are you saying? It is your job, your duty, to protect the princess at all costs."_

_Shadow's transformation faded back into Jess. "I don't care. Find some one else to do it. I don't want to do this anymore." She began walking away._

"_Where do you think you're going?" Nebula screeched after her._

_Jess stopped and glared at her over her shoulder. "I thought this would give me the answers as to why I'm so different from everyone else, but it's only given me more questions. I'm done with this. I have my own life to live."_

**Fast Forward**

_Jess was sixteen, staring at the police officer that stood at her front door talking to Dawn. She couldn't believe what she had just heard._

"_Excuse me," she said in a soft voice. "Did you just say that my parents were in a car accident? Are they okay?"_

_The officer looked at the distraught girl with sad eyes. "I'm sorry, Miss Alexander, but it appears that both of your parents died on impact."_

_She stood there trembling for several moments, not paying attention to whatever else the police officer had to say. Suddenly she screamed as the house shuddered violently, knocking pictures from the walls. Then her eyes rolled back in her head as she fell unconscious to the floor._

**Fast Forward**

_She stood on the top of a high-rise apartment building in New York. She was right on the edge, looking down at the busy streets and rushing people below._

"_I heard if you jump from this high up, you die of a heart attack before you ever hit the ground," she muttered to no one._

_A small, furry figure came out of the shadows._

"_Jess, please, let's go back inside," Nebula pleaded. "It's not good for you to sit up here with all of these negative thoughts. I know you're miserable, but it's not for much longer. Your eighteenth birthday is in two weeks, then we'll be on our way to Tokyo and we'll be with Dawn again. I just know that good things are waiting for us there."_

_Jess cast one more look over the side of the building before stepping down. "Sure Bula, I'm sure everything will be great when we get there. Millions of new people to look at me and see what a freak I am. How exciting."_

_Nebula bristled. "You are not a freak. You have come so far in learning how to control yourself. You haven't made anything blow up in over three years. And there are other sailor scouts in Tokyo, so maybe that will make you feel better about your position."_

"_Yeah, maybe," she whispered as she followed the cat to the door that would take them back inside. She looked back one more time at the building's ledge. "But somehow I think it would be easier to jump instead of facing what's to come."_

* * *

As the scene before them shifted again, this time showing Jess and Andrew and the fight they had that night in Elysian, Sailor Moon shook herself out of the stupor that she and the others had seemed to have fallen into. She decided that this torture had gone on long enough.

"That's enough, Discord!" she cried, aiming her moon tier at him. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

The beam of silver light hit the evil being, making him stumble back several steps. He was unharmed by the attack, but it had broken the connection to Sailor Shadow.

Sailor Moon and the others quickly ran to the dark blonde haired girl's side. Once Discord's spell had been broken, she had collapsed on Andrew, sobbing wildly into his cold chest.

"I'm sorry," she whispered brokenly as she cried. "I'm so sorry, Drew. I knew I should have never gotten involved with you. Bad things always happen to the people around me. I just got so caught up in the illusion that we could be happy that I just didn't think. This is all my fault. I condemned you to this."

Sailor Moon threw herself down next to the sobbing girl, disregarding the blood, and pulled her into her arms. After resisting for a moment, she allowed it. She flung her blood-stained arms around the blonde and buried her face in her shoulder.

"He's gone, Serena," she choked out between hiccups. "I can't feel him anymore. It's like I'm just empty inside, and it hurts. I don't know how I can live without him."

Sailor Moon held her tightly and gently shushed her. "Shh…it'll be okay. We just have to keep up hope."

She looked to her prince, who was kneeled down next to them, trying to avert his eyes from the sight of his best friend's lifeless body. "Darien, can we do anything?"

He shook his head. "I honestly don't know. He's bled out so much, and it's also been several minutes. It may be too late."

Shadow tore away from Sailor Moon and spun to face him. She gripped his cape tightly in both hands. "Please. You have to try. You were able to bring me back after I died. I know you can do the same for him. Please."

He looked down at her tear wet pleading face and felt the tears that he had been holding back prickle his eyes. "Jess, I don't know if I can."

A shattered expression crossed her face and what little light that was left in her eyes sputtered and died. She slumped forward, her head resting on his chest. Then she whispered softly where only he could hear, "Please, I love him."

He closed his eyes for a moment as visions of his daughter from his past life filtered through his mind. He knew that it was probably a lost cause, but he owed it to her to at least try.

He hugged her close for a moment and whispered back. "Okay, let me see what I can do."

"Oh how sweet." Discord drawled. "I always did picture you as a daddy's girl, princess. Maybe he's the one I should kill next, and then perhaps Serenity. I'll just work my way down the line until they're all dead."

He dove for Endymion with the same sword that was still stained with Andrew's blood. The prince saw him coming and pushed Shadow away from him before leaping into the air and unsheathing his own sword.

"Darien!" Sailor Moon screamed as she jumped up, preparing to launch herself into battle.

Kunzite grabbed her and thrust her into Sailor Venus's arms as he, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoicite sprang into action. In less than a second they were at their prince's side, ready to assist and defend him.

Discord gave them a bored look. "I really grow weary of all of this back and forth. Do you really think that you could stand against me, Endymion? I guess it must be a common trait for the prince's of Earth to act foolish. Your father thought he had a chance as well. But even allied with Serenity and Jonathan, he never had a chance. I have stood up against the power forged by the very gods themselves, and none have been able to defeat me."

"Do you really think that you are so indestructible?" a new voice asked.

A dozen more people joined the group as Talon appeared with Anya and the surviving members of his clan. They all looked at Discord with extreme distaste.

Discord surveyed them with narrowed eyes. "So you would all betray me? After all that I have done for you over the centuries? You pathetic creatures would have died out long ago if it hadn't been for me. All I asked in return was for you to help me see to the fulfillment of the prophecies. But you couldn't even do that. You let yourself be bewitched by a pretty face and then turned traitor to help her fight against me."

Talon smirked. "Yes I did, but only because I was able to read between the lines of the prophecies and see the true meaning behind them. You assumed that the angel of darkness would only bring destruction, but neglected the part that spoke of salvation."

Discord barked out a harsh laugh. "Do you honestly think that she would be able to save the world? Look at your so-called princess now. I was expecting to find a powerful, strong willed woman behind the power. But instead all I see is a weak, broken little girl. She's not worthy to hold that crystal."

"Proph…prophecies?" Sailor Moon stammered. "I only heard of one. You mean there was more?"

Talon turned to her. "Yes. The leader of my clan disclosed a second prophecy to me while on his deathbed. It was the last words he spoke."

He snapped his fingers and a haunting voice could be heard whispering on the breeze.

_'The first prophecy will be ignored. The light of silver and gold will come together, creating a power born of the moon and the earth. This power will have the strength to rule the universe. The one who controls this power will cling to the shadows, making the darkness her friend. When she finally embraces her destiny, the angel of darkness will rise. Worlds will either be saved or destoyed by the power that will rest in her hands.'_

"So that's why everything seems to always fall apart around me," Shadow said softly. "I was damned from the very beginning."

Talon was by her side in a flash. He yanked her to her feet and gave her a harsh shake. "Stop it! This pity party has gone on long enough. You are stronger than this and you know it. Don't forget, I've seen the inside of that pretty little head of yours too."

Snarls came from most of the scouts. Jupiter and Uranus, being the most violent of the bunch, were the first to react.

"Get your damn hands off of her." Jupiter demanded, sparks of electricity snapping at her fingers.

Uranus didn't bother talking, she just lunged at him. But a sudden shield that sprang up around the two stopped her.

Talon gave Anya a grateful glance over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the woman in front of him. She stayed silent, staring at him with sad and lonely eyes.

He growled under his breath. "What happened to spunky, energetic fighter I knew? I've seen you defeat a youma with just a flick of your little finger. Why would you just sit down and give up now when the end is finally in sight?"

She stared down wordlessly at her blood-covered hands. His heart went out to her, but he knew that this was not the time to tip toe around the issue.

"He would be disappointed in you," he said harshly.

Her head snapped up and glared at him as a spark came back to her eyes. "What did you say?"

He returned her glare. "You heard me. He believed in you enough to sacrifice his life for you. The woman he fell in love with was strong and confident. You are still that woman. Don't let his death be in vain. Grieve for him later, but right now you need to take care of business. The prophecy called you the angel of darkness, but it also said that you could save the world. Believe in yourself and your friends, and I know you can do this."

The spark that had been reignited in her eyes became brighter, gradually growing until her eyes began to shine with renewed hope. "You're right. He wouldn't want me to be like this. He would want me to kick Discord's ass so we can go home. I can't believe I let myself get defeated by a few bad memories. My life hasn't been that bad. Some people may have misunderstood me, but all in all I've had a great life. I had a family that loved me and eventually found some great friends."

She looked around at everyone. "Of course the friends I had back then pale in comparison to the ones I have now."

Talon grinned at her. "Now that's the spirit I've come to expect from you."

Then he took her by surprise as he pulled her close and kissed her cheek. He put his lips close to her ear and whispered, "You must kill the human body he's in. Once he's without a physical form he will be more vulnerable to attack." He slid a slender, lightweight sword into her hand under the cover of his cloak. "I'll try to help as much as I can, but my powers are insignificant compared to his."

She met his eyes and a look of silent understanding passed in between them. She stepped back with a nod of her as he gave Anya the signal to drop the shield, keeping the sword concealed behind her as much as possible.

Sailor Moon rushed to her quickly. "Are you okay? What did he say to you? It looked pretty intense there for a second."

Sailor Shadow shook her head. "He just gave me a well needed reality check. He told me what I needed to hear to get my head back in the game. Now it's time to finish this."

She looked down at Andrew one last time and whispered. "I'll make you proud, baby. Just watch and see."

Crescent Moon grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Everything's going to work out fine. I wish I could tell you more, but Pluto would probably strangle me."

"I believe you. Now let's go get this bastard." She felt the hilt of the sword in her hand behind her back. "I want that son of a bitch to bleed."

Sailor Moon and Crescent Moon fell into step beside her and they began walking over to where the standoff between Endymion, the generals, and Discord was still taking place. Neither side had made a move yet, and the other scouts had now joined the men, preparing for a showdown. They never noticed when Shadow fell behind them and then disappeared into the shadows.

Discord was visibly seething, clearly reaching the end of his rope. "I'm tired of playing these games. I'll just kill you all now and take the crystal. It would have been amusing to see the princess blow up the planet, but she obviously doesn't have what it takes." He shot a massive wave of dark energy at the group.

Sailor Saturn ran to the front and raised her glaive. "Silence Wall!"

A purple shield sprang to life in front of them, protecting the heroes behind it. Discord looked shocked for a moment before pouring more energy into the blast. Saturn's defense began to show cracks and the petite scout's arms began to shake as she tried to maintain the barrier.

Everyone dove to the ground as the Silence Wall shattered and waited for the impact of Discord's attack. When nothing happened, they raised their heads curiously.

Endymion was still standing, having used the power of the Golden Crystal to put up another barrier. But instead of pure gold, it swirled with a mixture of gold, silver, and pink. Sailor Moon and Crescent Moon stepped up next to him, continuing to join their energy with his to strengthen the barrier.

Discord stopped the attack and the shield dropped to show Endymion, Sailor Moon, and Crescent Moon standing but not the one he was seeking. He looked around, but she was nowhere to be seen. He could still feel her energy, so she had to be near.

"Where is she?" he demanded. "Does she think she can escape me by hiding? I will hunt that little bitch down to the ends of the earth. That crystal will be mine, no matter what."

The shadows behind him swirled, revealing a figure concealed in its darkness. He jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see what could only be described as an avenging angel.

Sailor Shadow gave him a mocking grin. "You shouldn't have been standing here all alone in the dark. The shadows are mine to control. It gave me the perfect opportunity to do this." She jerked her arm forward.

Discord gasped as fire ripped through his stomach. Looking down, he was surprised to see a sword buried up to the hilt in his stomach. His glowing red eyes looked up to meet cool blue.

She smirked. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"

Discord howled and swung an arm out, hitting her hard in the stomach and sending her crashing into the rock wall behind her. Her head snapped back with a sickening thud, the impact making her see stars. Her back felt like it was being ripped open by giant claws as she slid down the jagged rock to fall limply to the ground.

Discord staggered toward her and raised his own sword above his head. "Time to die, little princess," he rasped as he was about to strike a fatal blow

He grunted as he felt something hit his back milliseconds before a second blade burst from his chest before being ripped back out. As his body began to crumple, he looked to see who had struck the killing blow to this mortal body, and his eyes widened in shock. If he had thought the princess was an avenging angel, then this person was the devil himself.

Sailor Shadow watched through a haze of pain as the body that had once belonged to Bastian fell lifelessly to the ground. There was someone standing behind him, but she couldn't focus her eyes on him enough to make out who it was. Too delirious to even care anymore, she closed her eyes and let the pain carry her away into unconsciousness.

Right before she slipped away, she felt arms wrap around her and the most heavenly voice in the world whispered into her ear, bringing a small smile to her lips as she faded away.

* * *

Jess sighed as the pain disappeared. As her head cleared she opened her eyes to look around. Instead of finding herself lying on the rocky ground, she instead found herself surrounded by a cloudlike whiteness.

'_Wow, is this heaven? I didn't think I hit the wall that hard,' _she thought to herself

The ground felt soft beneath her, and she was surprised to find herself lying on a padded bench. One that seemed awfully familiar to her for some reason.

She sat up as the cloudiness around her began to thin, revealing a beautiful garden of white and soft pastel colored flowers. She sniffled as her nose began to itch at the sight of a bed of lilies planted a short distance away.

A soft glow encompassed the area, and she looked up expecting to see the moon shining down on her. She was shocked however to see that the shimmering light was coming from a blue planet in the sky that could only be the Earth.

Her heart began to pound as she finally realized where she was and why the surroundings seemed so familiar to her. She turned to look behind her, and wasn't surprised to see the moon castle standing there. What she was shocked to see, however, was the fact that everything looked exactly as it had during her former childhood.

There was no sign that a major battle had ever taken place here, much less that everything had been demolished. The marble columns stood straight and proud, and the whole structure gleamed magnificently.

"No way," she whispered. "This is so not happening. I know some people say that everyone's vision of heaven is different…but wow."

A soft, gentle laughter reached her ears. "It's time to wake up, sleepyhead."

Her head jerked around, eyes widening in disbelief at the sight of the woman standing by a nearby fountain. The long silver hair and caring lavender eyes unlocked a feeling of homecoming in Jess.

"Grandma!" she cried, jumping up from the bench and running to hug Queen Serenity.

"My sweet little Melody," Serenity sighed as she returned the fond embrace before moving back a step and studying her closely. "Well maybe not quite so little anymore. You're taller than me now."

Jess giggled as wiped away a few small tears that had sprung to her eyes. "What am I doing here? Did Discord manage to kill me after all? Everything was so hazy before I passed out."

Serenity shook her head. "No darling, you're not dead, but you are unconscious at the moment. You hit your head pretty hard."

Jess's hand reached up to touch the spot on her head that had been in agony just a few minutes before, then she smiled wryly. "I guess it's a good thing that I'm so hard headed, huh?"

The queen laughed. "I couldn't have put it any better myself. But to answer your question, I summoned you here because I wanted to talk to you before you go to face Discord again."

Jess nodded. "You've faced him before, Grandma. How were you able to defeat him?"

"Well we didn't defeat him. If we had, he wouldn't be here now," Serenity said glumly. "I can't tell you everything, but I will tell you some of it. Both of your grandfathers and I had become privy to a rare magic that was created by Selene, Gaia, and Apollo, the goddesses of the Moon and the Earth, along with the god of the sun. Discord had been on a rampage through the universe and had turned his eyes on this solar system. We had been told that this ancient power could defeat him, so we decided to try.

We were young and foolish. We thought that we were invincible since we could command such power, but Discord proved to be a more formidable foe than we ever could have guessed. Edward was almost killed, and both Jonathan and I had sustained some serious injuries as well. In the end we only had enough energy to seal him away and hope that the seal would be able to hold him. It did, for a while"

"What is this power, and is there a way that we can use it against him again?" Jess asked eagerly.

The queen sighed. "I'm afraid not. That power chooses who has the right to control it. It picks three people, one with the power of the moon, one of the sun, and one of the Earth. But sadly there are none that have been born in this time that have been granted this ability."

"Great," Jess groaned, dropping to sit on the edge of the fountain. "So there's no way to beat him. That's just perfect."

Serenity sat down next to her and took her hand. "That's not entirely true. While you may not be able to destroy him, you can seal him away again. True, he will probably break free at some point, but I have it on pretty good authority that the ones who will be able to defeat him for good will be born by that time."

"So how do we seal him away?" Jess asked. "I don't think I can do it by myself."

Serenity cocked her head to one side. "You're just like your mother, always underestimating the amount of power you really have. You have the power inside you to do it, but to unleash all of that power would drain your life force and kill you. That's what Discord was trying to goad you into doing earlier, but you fought against it. You fulfilled the prophecies, just not in the way that he intended. He thought that by hurting you, you would lash out in your pain and rage. If you had, the Earth would have been destroyed and you would have died. But instead, you attacked him with righteous anger and destroyed the human body he was inhabiting, making him vulnerable."

Jess nodded her head. "That's what Talon told me, too. But even without a physical body, I imagine it will still take an enormous amount of power to seal him away. That's a scary thought."

Serenity laughed lightly. "I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. Just having you, Serenity, and Endymion alone would be a challenge for Discord to deal with. But you add in the scouts with their planet powers and the generals, who not only carry the power of earth, but the elemental power of their soul mate, and your chances for success increase. And let's not forget my other granddaughter. The strength of her power is not anything to sneeze at either."

Jess grinned. "Yeah, Rini's a great kid. Sometimes she kind of reminds me of myself. Maybe that's why I pick on her."

"I always thought she took more after Serenity while you reminded me more of Endymion," the queen mused. "You definitely took after his family when it comes to looks. With the exception of your eyes, you're almost a mirror image of your grandmother, Althea."

Jess blushed and looked down, embarrassed by the compliment. "Thank you, grandma. But I'm afraid I'll never be half the woman she was. I remember how graceful and kind she was. I'm brash and hot headed."

Serenity's eyes twinkled. "Oh, I think there's more to you than meets the eye. After all, you managed to capture Motoki's heart. And trust me, solarians can be extremely picky when it comes to choosing their mate."

Jess felt her breath hitch in her throat. She had been trying very hard not to think about him, but now his laughing face was firmly imprinted in her brain. Fresh tears began to swim in her eyes. "I should have stayed away from him. I should have run the moment I realized I was falling in love with him. Then he wouldn't be…"

"Stop right there, Melody," the Queen commanded. "None of what has happened is because of you. Fate works in mysterious ways. When two people are meant to be together, there is nothing that can stand in their way. Look at Serenity and Endymion, the scouts and the generals too. Even death has not stopped them from being together. You and Motoki are the same. That's the way soul mates work."

"Then why is he dead while I'm still alive?" Jess demanded. "Fate is cruel if it thinks that it's funny to give me a short taste of that love and then rip it away from me."

A mysterious smile twitched at the queen's lips. "Are you sure he's dead?"

Jess shot her an exasperated look. "Yeah, pretty sure. I held him in my arms while he bled to death. I felt the bond between us shatter and open up a dark, gaping hole where my heart was. As I cried on his chest, his body turned cold. So unless I missed something, I'm almost positive he was dead."

Queen Serenity actually laughed at that. "Oh Motoki was right. You do keep him on his toes don't you? He said your sharp personality was the first thing he noticed about you. He said you walked into his business establishment and ordered a drink, and you didn't mince any words when you did it. He was hooked from that moment."

Now Jess was completely bewildered. "Okay, I'm confused. When did you talk to Drew about me?"

That same mysterious smile appeared on the queen's lips again. "Just a few minutes ago before he returned to Earth to save you from getting skewered by Discord's sword."

The younger woman was astounded. She remembered those last few moments, the sword ripping through Discord's chest and the body falling to the ground. She had seen the shape of the person, but had not been able to make out any of their features. She had naturally assumed that it was Darien or perhaps one of the generals. It had even crossed her mind that it could be Talon. But then she remembered as she had hovered on the edge of unconsciousness, the feeling of the arms that had scooped her up and held her close. Then the sound of that voice whispering in her ear, telling her that he loved her and that he was proud of her.

Her eyes snapped back to Serenity. "But how?" was all she managed to whisper.

"You can thank Chronos for this one," Serenity told her. "Poor Sailor Pluto has been running around for weeks trying to fix a distortion in the timeline, and Motoki's untimely death would have thrown it off course again. Luckily the god of time is not bound by the same taboos as his granddaughter and was able to restore his life. But before he did that, you had to pass a test. It would have been pointless to bring him back to life if you had destroyed the world, but when you set aside your anger and decided to fight for the good of the world, you succeeded in proving to Chronos that you deserved your happy future."

Jess jumped up excitedly. "So he's back on Earth? He's alive? I have to go see him. How do I get out of here? Ohh, I don't know whether I want to kiss him or hit him after all of this. Maybe I'll do both."

Serenity giggled. "Never fear. You should be waking up in a few minutes. But before you go, I want to give you the same advice I gave your mother a short time ago. Don't fear your power. It is yours to control. It may seem overwhelming at times, but once you embrace it there won't be much that you won't be able to accomplish."

Queen Serenity stepped forward and pressed a kiss to Jess's brow. A feeling of energy surrounded her, and when she looked down, she saw that her fuku had disappeared to be replaced by a long flowing gown. It was dark blue with a tight fitting bodice and the skirt was constructed of several layers of gauzy lightweight material. The bodice and the hem were delicately stitched with gold and silver stars and long streamers of ribbons of the same colors tied around her waist. Her symbol glowed brightly on her forehead.

Serenity smiled and stepped back. "You may have been reincarnated, but never forget that you are a princess. This is who you would have grown to be if the evil forces hadn't destroyed our world. Be proud of who you are. Just as Princess Serenity is the ultimate form of Sailor Moon and Serena Tsukino, Princess Melody is the ultimate form of Sailor Shadow and Jessica Alexander. Use this power and fulfill your destiny."

Jess returned the smile and hugged Serenity tightly. "I will, grandma. I'm proud to be your granddaughter and the princess of the moon and the earth. I'll make you proud of me."

Serenity swept the dark blonde bangs back from the deep blue eyes. "I know you will. And remember, I'll always be watching over you. Now it's time for you to join the others. Go and vanquish this evil, my darling. I love you."

And the moon faded away into whiteness.

* * *

Sailor Moon was still in shock, staring at the man that was holding Sailor Shadows limp body in his arms. Most of the others were still shell shocked as well, not able to comprehend what could only be described as a miracle.

After Sailor Shadow had stabbed Discord and he had savagely knocked her into the wall, the rest of them had sprung into action to protect her. They had been brought up short however as a man had appeared almost out of nowhere and had shoved a sword through Discord's back, effectively ending the life of the mortal body.

He had stooped and picked up Shadow gently before turning to face the others. They had all gasped when they were confronted with the sandy blonde hair and bright hazel eyes of Andrew.

Sailor Moon had dropped to her knees and could only babble. "Okay, I'm losing it. There is no way that I'm seeing this." Her eyes darted over to where Andrew's body had been lying moments before, but all that was left was the large pool of blood. "Somebody please tell me what's going on because I'm starting to feel like that kid from that movie. You know, the one that says 'I see dead people'. I'm getting seriously creeped out."

Andrew smirked at her. "What's wrong, Serena? Is big, bad Andrew scaring you? You can thank your mother for this intervention." He glanced over to Sailor Pluto. "Next time you see Chronos, thank him for me too. If it hadn't been for those two, I would be hobnobbing with the big guy upstairs right about now."

Pluto inclined her head to him. "I will pass it on, but it's Jess that deserves the most credit. She had to pass Chronos's test first. If she hadn't, you would have been lost forever. But now the timeline is back on track."

Crescent Moon jumped up and down excitedly. "Does that mean that everything back home is fixed now?"

Pluto smiled at her. "If it isn't yet, it will be very soon. There is still one more task that must be accomplished. Discord's physical body has been destroyed, but he's not going to give up. After he takes a few minutes to regroup himself, he'll be back with a vengeance. We must be prepared."

Andrew sat Sailor Shadow down gently. "And that means we need Sleeping Beauty here to wake up. Darien, do you think you can work your hocus pocus on her? That hit to the wall knocked her for a loop."

Endymion was grinning like a Cheshire cat as he knelt down next to the two. He gripped Andrew's shoulder for a moment. "I think I can do that. It's good to have you back."

Andrew was grinning too. "It's good to be back. Now quit with the mushy stuff and get to work." He happily relinquished his hold on his girlfriend and turned his attention to the others.

Mercury was typing away on her computer, muttering as she read the readings. "This is amazing. My earlier scans showed no sign of life whatsoever, but now they say you're in perfect health. It's got to be a miracle."

"And what's with the fancy new outfit? I thought the black trench coat look suited you, but this is even more impressive." Sailor Mars said, jumping into the conversation.

Andrew looked down at his new look. He was now in armor that was similar to Endymion's and the generals. But where Endymion's was black and silver with the red lined black cape and the generals were in light gray with their cape's linings matching the color of the scout they were tied to, Andrew's was a deep burnished bronze. A long cape of shimmering copper fell down his back and had a lining of the deepest blue.

"Pretty wicked, isn't it?" Andre said with a grin. "Queen Serenity said something about this being my ultimate form. She said that this is how I would have been if the Silver Millennium hadn't been destroyed."

"It's the uniform of a solarian officer." Sailor Moon said, finally coming to her senses as the shock wore off. "It's the same uniform your father wore, except his cape had Sailor Solara's red orange color on the lining. Even though he became the commander of the Lunarian army, he always kept his uniform from the sun kingdom. I guess that shows that if you had been able to grow up on the moon, you would have followed in your father's footsteps and become a soldier."

"And would a mere soldier have been good enough for your daughter?" he asked teasingly.

Sailor Moon laughed. "Oh I think so. In any case, I don't think that anything would have kept you two apart. I had already had to listen to Venus spinning her little tales of love even though you were nothing but children at the time."

Sailor Venus sniffed. "Hey, I call them like I see them. And I could see that they had a deep connection."

"There," Darien said, sitting back. "That should take care of her. She's all patched up."

Andrew turned his attention back to the girl lying on the ground and took her back into his arms. "Shouldn't she be waking up now?"

Darien shook his head. "Just give it a minute. I don't claim to be a miracle worker."

"What do you mean give it a minute?" Andrew snapped. "The last time you told me that she didn't wake up for eight days. I sure don't want to go through that hell again."

Annoyance flashed in Darien's eyes. "It's just going to take her body a minute to recover. She had a concussion and a hairline fracture on her skull. That's not counting all the damage done to her back. So just chill for a minute."

The two men sat there for a minute and glared at each other before a groggy voice reached them. "I'm going to bash both of your heads together if you don't stop arguing. I swear you two are worse than women sometimes."

They both jumped and looked down at the woman between them. She was squinting up at them with a look of extreme annoyance.

Andrew let out a whoop as he pulled her up and gave her a short, but enthusiastic kiss. She returned it, throwing her arms around his neck for a moment, before pushing him back and punching him on the arm.

"Ow," he complained. "What was that for?"

She was fuming now. "I didn't think I would have to draw you a picture. That was for scaring me to death, you idiot. What the hell were you thinking jumping in front of me like that? If I didn't love you so much, I'd probably kill you myself for putting me through that. Do you ever stop to think? What is rational about throwing yourself in front of a sword? Some part of your brain had to tell you that it was a bad idea."

Andrew's face flushed as his temper began to surface. "Yeah it would have been so much better for me to just stand there while you had a lunatic coming at your back with a sword. Get real, Jess. What did you expect me to do?"

She rolled her eyes as she got up from the ground and rubbed her gloved hands against the blood soaked fuku she had reverted back to after her meeting with the moon queen. "I don't know. Maybe you could have just yelled at me to turn my ass around. Perhaps then I wouldn't be standing here covered in your blood."

She stared at her hands in disgust before stripping off the elbow length gloves and throwing them to the ground. She stomped on them, grinding the high heel of her boot into them. She kept rubbing her hands together like she could make the blood on them disappear.

After watching her frantic movements for a moment, Andrew pulled her into his arms and held her tightly to his chest. She struggled for a moment before finally giving in and wrapping her arms around his waist

Sailor Moon leaned into Endymion, who had put an arm around her shoulder. "They'll never have a boring relationship, will they?"

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Probably not, but I don't think they'll be as bad as Raye and Jadeite or Lita and Nephrite. Sometimes I wonder how those two couples manage to stay together without killing each other. I'm glad we don't have that problem."

She grinned at him and hugged him tight. "You act like we never fight. We have quite a history of it, you know."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but that was different. I was young and stupid and, quite honestly, you scared me. I thought that picking on you was the best way to deal with what I was feeling. How was I supposed to know that we were meant to be together?"

"It doesn't matter what happened in the past," she whispered. "All that matters is that we're all here together now. Hopefully this will all be behind us soon and we can move on to see what life holds for us next."

Mercury's computer began beeping and she flicked her earring to activate her visor. She seemed to be scanning something off in the distance. "Uh oh, guys. Looks like our time is up. I'm getting a massive energy reading from that ridge over there. I think Discord's ready to make his last move, and he seems pissed."

Jupiter and Uranus both grinned, always ready for a good fight. Mars already had flames at her fingertips, anticipating the chance to unleash her fire. Venus looked around at the remaining outer scouts, Pluto, Neptune, and Saturn. They met her serious gaze with their own and nodded their heads to indicate that they were ready. The generals stood at attention awaiting orders and Crescent Moon had moved closer to her family.

Sailor Moon took a deep breath before calling forth the Silver Crystal and transforming into Princess Serenity. "I guess this is it, guys. Let's get ready to do this."

She felt her prince behind her and leaned against his comforting warmth. Goosebumps rose on her arms as he brushed his lips against her ear and whispered, "I'm here with you, and this time I can help. My energy is at your disposal, princess."

She turned to look at him with worried eyes. "We can do this, right? I always get worried when we have to use this much energy. I don't want to lose anyone."

He touched his forehead to hers. "I know we can do this. There are more of us than there have been in the past, and I don't think we've ever been a more unified force. Discord's going to learn the hard way that nobody comes in and tries to take over our solar system. You just be careful and don't let the crystal take too much from you. I don't want to lose you either."

She laid a hand on his cheek. "I'll be careful, but this has to end. As long as he roams free the planet is in danger, and it's our job to protect it."

Next to them, Sailor Shadow and Andrew were studying the dark, misty cloud that was forming in the distance. Both of them had an uneasy expression on their face.

"So five years of blood, sweat, and tears comes down to this." Shadow muttered. I always thought I was prepared, but now I feel like I could throw up."

Andrew tightened his arms around her. "It is a little overwhelming, isn't it? But I have faith that we can beat him. At least I hope we can because I have plans for the future."

She cocked a blonde brow at him. "And what would those be? I hope I'm included somewhere in those plans."

He kissed the tip of her nose. "Of course. You're stuck with me until you decide you don't want me around anymore. Even then, I'd probably turn into a stalker and follow you everywhere just so I could see you."

She giggled. "That's sweet, but creepy all at the same time. But I know what you mean; I can't picture my life anymore without you in it. I guess it's show time."

She closed her eyes for a moment and connected with the power of her crystal, calling it forth. As it appeared in front of her, she felt herself change into the same dress she had worn when she had visited the moon earlier.

There was a flash as Rini transformed into her princess form as well and summoned her pink moon crystal. "Don't count me out. I'm in on this too. I've got a bone to pick with him too. He almost messed my time up."

Melody tugged a pink pigtail. "I wouldn't dream of leaving you out of this, squirt. The more firepower we can throw at him, the better. I want him locked away for a very, very long time. If I never have to see him again that's fine with me."

Serenity cast a critical eye over her future daughter. "I don't suppose I could talk you into sitting this one out, could I?"

Rini shook her head hard. "No way, no how. I'm not a rookie, you know. Who was it that used the Silver Crystal of the future against Wiseman? Let's see…that was me. And I've come a long way in my own crystal training. I don't exactly spend all my time in Crystal Tokyo sitting around and being pampered. Believe me, I'm kept busy."

"Okay, okay, I get the point." Serenity sighed. "You just better be careful. The last thing I need is your mother coming after me because I let something happen to you. Even though I guess that would be weird, me getting my ass kicked by myself." She shook her head. "Anyway, like I said, be careful."

Rini grinned and saluted her. "Yes ma'am!"

Mercury clicked her computer shut and flicked her visor off. "He's coming. Are we ready?"

"As we'll ever be," Serenity said. "Okay, Darien, Rini, Jess, and Andrew are up front with me. I want the rest of you right behind us powered up and ready for my signal. I've got a feeling that we're only going to get one shot at this, so let's make it count."

Everyone nodded and got into position as the black mist raced toward them. It stopped to hover in front of them, and then Discord's eerie voice came thundering down.

"Insignificant fools!" he boomed. "Do you really think that you have a chance against me? I am the supreme being of the universe. I have existed since the beginning of time, and I will continue to exist long after all of you have turned into dust. I am forever!"

"Everything has an end." Serenity said. "Yours may not come today, but one day a stronger power will come along and destroy you. But I can't allow you to put this planet and the rest of the universe in danger any longer, Discord. By the powers of this solar system, we will seal you away!"

"Silver Crystal Power!" she cried as a beam of silver energy shot from the crystal cradled in her palms.

"Ha Ha Ha," Discord laughed. "You already tried that once before Serenity, and it didn't work. The power of the Silver Crystal is nothing to me."

"Then how about a double dose of moon justice, freak?" Rini growled as she held up her crystal. "Moon Crystal Power!"

Her blast of pink energy joined Serenity's and impacted the mist with what seemed to be little effect. Golden energy began to entwine with the two as Endymion laid a hand on each of their shoulders and focused his own energy with theirs. Dark energy from the mist began pushing out, trying to avert the power.

"What about you, Melody. Are you going to join this fight as well?" Discord asked. "Oh that's right, you haven't learned how to use the crystal yet. What a pity."

Melody grinned as she felt the power surging through her veins. She may have been clueless earlier, but thanks to what Discord had put her through today, she know could feel every bit of her crystal's power. And she knew exactly what to do with it.

"Sorry to disappoint you, asshole, but I'm not exactly the pushover you think I am. I hope you enjoy your prison." She took her crystal between her palms and called out loud and clear, "Celestial Crystal Power!"

A beam of sapphire light shot from the crystal, sending chills racing down her spine. The amount of power had been unexpected and almost sent her stumbling. Luckily Andrew's presence at her back kept her upright and focused. She then felt a warmth flow through her as the power of the Sun began filtering through her body as Andrew fed his power to her. Copper colored energy threaded itself into her own blue.

The mist growled and began to push back harder, slowly but surely succeeding in shoving their attacks farther away from him. Melody cut a quick look sideways and saw the sweat that had begun forming on both Serenity and Rini's faces. She wasn't immune either as she felt a trickle run down from her temple. How much longer could this go on? She was already feeling shaky.

Behind them, Sailor Pluto was having a whispered discussion with the others. "Listen everyone, you know I can't disclose anything about the future, but this is important. I have seen the way this battle ends, and we need to do something different this time. I know we usually channel all of our energy to the Silver Crystal, but I'm afraid that that much power could drain Serenity to the point of death. So this time we're going to split up. Mercury and Jupiter, along with Zoicite and Nephrite, I want you to concentrate your energy on Rini. Venus, Mars, Kunzite, and Jadeite, you stick with Serenity. Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and myself will stand with Melody."

They all nodded in agreement, especially Mercury. "That's a brilliant idea. It doesn't cut back on the amount of power used, but by dispersing it between them it saves on the amount of life force they have to use."

Right on cue, Serenity called out. "Are you ready, scouts? I need you to lend me your powers."

The scouts began glowing with their planet's color as they reached inside and drew the energy needed from their sailor crystals. The generals swirled with a mixture of gold and the color of the planet their soul mate was from. Once they had gathered what they could without harming themselves, they began funneling the energy to the princess they had been assigned.

Rini was practically swaying on her feet. She knew that she couldn't keep this up much longer. She had already felt Endymion's hand tighten on her shoulder and knew that soon he would insist on her stepping down, and she didn't want to. She wanted to be in this fight. This was her chance to prove that she was as much of a sailor scout as the rest of them. She wasn't the little kid that she had been when she had first come back in time anymore. She was the crown princess of Crystal Tokyo, and she could do this.

She gasped as a sudden jolt of energy reenergized her and the stream of energy coming from her crystal grew and strengthened. More gold now joined her pink power, but the icy blue of Mercury and the forest green of Jupiter also accompanied it. Grasping hold of the new energy, she directed every bit of it at Discord.

Serenity had heard Rini gasp, but thought it was just the girl starting to give out under the strain. It was a lot to ask of the teenager to be able to stand up under this assault for an extended amount of time. She was surprised a second later when a blast of rainbow colored energy came from the girl beside her.

She began to feel the beginnings of her scout's powers beginning to flow into her, but it wasn't what she was expecting. Instead of the powers slamming into her as they usually did, she felt a rejuvenating rush as more power from the Earth, along with the power of Mars and Venus began flowing through her.

Catching on to what they were doing, she smiled. She really did have great friends. Concentrating on the energy inside the crystal now, she shot it at the evil entity in a mixture of glittering silver, shiny gold, fiery red, and vibrant orange. She was satisfied to see that the dark energy was retreating back into the mist.

Melody was leaning heavily against Andrew thinking about how much this situation sucked. Why wouldn't this thing just go away so that they could move on? This was seriously getting old and she was wiped out. All she wanted was an uninterrupted week and a nice soft bed right now.

She gave a silent cheer as she saw Serenity and Rini's energy both increase and they began actually pushing Discord back. Maybe this would be over soon now that the scout's powers had joined with theirs. She sure hoped so. This felt like the longest day of her life.

Suddenly she wasn't tired anymore and she straightened up. The crystal pulsed heavily in her palms and she was surprised to find it swirling with energy of deep garnet, bright yellow, soothing aquamarine, and royal purple.

Not needing any instructions, she acted on instinct, weaving those powers with her own and sending the whole wave of it at Discord, muttering under her breath, "I hope you roast in hell someday, you bastard."

All of that combined power slammed into the mist, causing an unearthly screech to come from it. It began to twist and turn. Then two pinpoints of red light that resembled eyes appeared to glare at them. "Is this really all you've got? Don't you know by now that you'll never be rid of me? So much for your great power."

A breeze blew through, and with it carried a soft voice.

_"Embrace your powers, my darlings. Don't be afraid of it. It is your right as princesses to wield these powers. These are your destinies. Be proud of who you are.'_

"Mother," Serenity whispered as she remembered the conversation she'd had with Queen Serenity during her imprisonment. Even now she felt the same rushing sensation running through her body that she had felt during the battle with Chaos, but did she dare unleash it.

Rini's eyes widened as she thought about a conversation that she'd had with her mother some time back. Neo Queen Serenity had spoken of there being a moment in every crystal carrier's life where their true power was unlocked. She felt a tingling sensation all over and wondered if that was what her mother had been talking about.

Melody felt like she was burning inside. It wasn't unpleasant, but felt like gentle flames were licking at her nerve endings. Was this her true power? If she used it, she wouldn't blow up the world, would she?

The three of them met each other's eyes and gave a slight nod. They knew what they had to do. Serenity and Rini took a few steps away from Endymion at the same time that Melody stepped away from Andrew.

All three joined hands in a circle with their crystals floating in the center. They focused on their buried powers and began to glow silver, pink, and blue.

Although in distress from the continued beams of energy, Discord couldn't help but taunt them. "How cute, you're trying to copy the Galactic Trinity, but you don't have that power. None have existed for over a thousand years that could invoke that power. It is a dead magic now, and I will never be destroyed."

The three princesses said nothing. They reached down and grabbed the power that was boiling over inside of them and latched on tight. When their eyes snapped open, they had taken on an otherworldly glow. Serenity's shined silver, Rini's glowed pink, and Melody's burned sapphire.

With one last look at each other, they shoved every bit of that repressed power into their crystals and fired it at Discord.

A howl was heard as the mist began to finally dissipate. Just before it finally faded from view, his deep voice was heard.

"This isn't the end. I'll be back to haunt you, just like a bad dream. You'll walk through life looking over your shoulder, not knowing when or where I will strike. But I will return. I will have my revenge."

Finally all was silent, and he was gone.

The three girls detransformed to their civilian forms as they all fell to their knees, panting for breath. Through the harsh breathing, laughter could be heard. Rini threw her arms around the other two, pulling them into a group hug.

"We did it!" she shrieked. "I can't believe we actually did it! Did you guys feel that rush? Talk about catching a buzz. That was sweet!"

"It's over!" Serena cheered. "It's finally over. He's sealed away, and I don't think he'll be coming back any time soon."

Jess threw herself back on the ground, not caring that it was covered in rocks. She screamed her glee to the sky. "At last! Now I can get my life back. If there's any other baddies out there that want to come pick on us, I hope they stay away for a long time because Sailor Shadow's going into retirement for a while."

The others rushed in to join in the celebration. Darien had changed back to normal as well, and he scooped up Serena and Rini together in a giant bear hug. "You both were great! You kind of had me worried there for a second that you were going to overdo it, but you didn't and everything worked out."

Andrew had changed back into his everyday self as well, and he scooped Jess up from the ground to spin her around. "You were absolutely amazing! Some guys may find it intimidating having a girlfriend that could be capable of kicking their asses, but seeing you break badass like that was awesome." He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Not to mention it was incredibly hot."

"Drew!" she exclaimed in a loud whisper as she blushed madly, looking around to make sure no one else had heard. Then she shook her head and buried her burning face in his chest.

He chuckled and rested his chin on top of her head. "Hey, now that this is over, you're not going to move back to your apartment, are you?"

She pulled back to look at him quizzically. "I don't know. I haven't had a chance to think that far ahead. I probably will. I'm sure you've had enough of me and my stuff intruding in your bachelor pad."

"Stay with me," he said suddenly. "I don't want you to leave. I love going to sleep next to you every night and waking up to you in the morning. It wouldn't feel the same without you there. You can even have the spare room as a studio so you can work in private."

She giggled softly. "I'm assuming that this means that you're officially asking me to move in with you."

He nodded his head enthusiastically. "You better believe it. And think about it, the arcade's right downstairs. All the cherry cokes and junk food you want."

She swatted his arm. "You evil man, trying to bribe me like that. But it is a delicious sounding offer. And now that this is over and I don't need a nursemaid anymore, I'm sure Dawn will be going back to Elysian to stay. And I really don't want to be in that big apartment by myself. So I think I'll have to say yes to your offer."

His eyes widened. "Really, you mean it?"

At her nod, he laughed as he swooped down to give her a deep kiss.

A gagging sound broke through their haze, making them pull apart slowly to look at Rini.

"Please," she complained. "There is a time and place for that, and this is not it. Honestly, you people are going to give me a complex yet." She looked away from them, and then groaned as she was confronted with the sight of Serena and Darien locked in what seemed to be a violent tongue battle, and not the verbal kind.

Venus was snuggled up next to Kunzite, running her fingers through his silvery hair. Jadeite had sat down on a boulder and had pulled Mars down on to his lap. Jupiter had wrapped her arms around Nephrite's waist while his were around her shoulders. Zoicite was holding Mercury's hand, raising it to his lips every so often to place a kiss on it. And Uranus and Neptune, well they never needed an excuse to touch one another. They did it whenever they wanted to, which seemed to be all the time.

Pluto and Saturn were the only two besides her that weren't paired up with somebody, and it suddenly made her long for Helios. Maybe she could sneak into Elysian later for a visit, but first she had other things to take care of.

She cleared her throat, grabbing everyone's attention. "Are we going to hang around here forever or what? I figured Serena would be screaming for food by now." She stuck her tongue out at her future mother as she was given a glare.

"It's late, so the arcade's closed. How about we go home and I'll open it up for us to have a private party?" Andrew suggested.

That brought a round of approval from everyone as they got up and prepared for a teleport.

"I'll catch up with you guys in a little while," Rini told them. "I'm going to pop back home and make sure everything's okay. I'll be back."

She looked to Pluto for approval, and once she received a nod from her she pulled out her time key. In a flash of pink light, she was gone.

"Well that was freaky," Jess muttered. "So that's how she jumps back and forth in between times."

Serena nodded. "Yeah, you get used to it after a while. Freaked me out at first, but now I'm used to her popping in and out. Sometimes it's fairly often, and sometimes I may go for months and not see her. Then she'll just show up on my doorstep out of the blue."

Jess shivered. "That's just too weird. I sure hope I never have kids from my future come for a visit. I would probably freak out."

"I know what you mean, " Serena agreed. "At least I know Rini's my only child, so I don't have to worry about any other surprises."

Neither one of them noticed the mysterious smile twitching around Sailor Pluto's lips, but Saturn did.

"What's so funny?" she asked the time guardian.

Pluto started. "Oh nothing. I was just thinking about the future. I'm sure Rini will be pleased with what she finds."

Saturn looked up at the sky with a small frown on her face. "We'll have to face him again, won't we?"

Pluto sighed. "You know I can't tell you that. But for now the situation is taken care of. It's time for everyone's lives to move on. The future was cloudy for a while, but now it's bright again."

The scout of silence nodded as she looked over to where her princess and her prince were now talking to Talon and Anya. "It's because of them. They are the guiding lights that will see us through any darkness. I know a wonderful future awaits us because of their love and hope for the world."

"So what will you do now that Discord is gone?" Serena asked Talon. "You and your people have been living here for so long. Where will you go?"

Talon shrugged. "We'll probably stay here for now until we decide our next move. We are a nomadic people and prefer to stay away from cities. Most people don't believe in magic, so we have always found it easier to be on our own where we can practice our own beliefs."

"So I guess this is goodbye," Jess said with a tinge of sadness in her voice. "I never thought I'd say that I would miss you, especially after the way things started between us, but I will miss you."

Talon's onyx eyes looked deeply into hers. There was a small part of his heart that would always love the feisty reincarnated princess. But as he watched her standing next to her soul mate, he couldn't help but feel happiness for her that she had found someone to love that loved her just as much in return.

He held out a hand to her and she laid one of hers in it. He raised it to his lips before pressing a light kiss to the back of it. "Thank you, princess. You have freed my people from Discord's tyranny and given us a fresh start. And this isn't really goodbye, I'll be around. If you ever need me for anything, I'll be there."

Jess just stared at him for a moment before grabbing him into a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered. "I may have helped save you from Discord, but you saved me from myself. I'll always be grateful."

Talon returned the embrace before stepping back. "Now get out of here. Go home and start living your life. And for god's sake, try to control that viscous tongue of yours. Not everyone is as appreciative of a sharp wit as I am."

Jess stuck said tongue out at him with a laugh before grabbing Andrew's hand and following Serena and Darien back to the others so that they could teleport home. She glanced back over her shoulder. "Hey Anya, don't take any crap off of him. I know you're capable of kicking his ass if he gives you any trouble."

The dark haired woman smiled and waved in response. Andrew chuckled and gripped her hand tighter. "You just love to stir up trouble, don't you?"

She grinned at him. "I am who I am. Take me or leave me."

"Oh, I think I'll definitely take you," he replied, leaning down to brush his lips over hers. "I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Come on guys, let's go," Serena called out to them. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go home."

Jess looked around at the scouts, generals, and the reincarnated forms of her parents from her past life before meeting the sparkling hazel eyes of the man next to her. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she belonged. She may have lost her family, but she had found a new one that accepted her the way she was.

She smiled brightly and whispered, "Yes, let's go home."

**A/N **(Wipes tears from eyes) So there you have it folks, the last official chapter of this long, drawn out story. I can't help but feel sad that this is coming to a close. It has been such an experience. But we still have an epilogue to go. In that I will tie up a few loose ends and we'll get a glance into the lives of our heroes' lives now that the battle is over. And for those of you that are interested in the sequel, I dropped some hints about it in this chapter and there will be more in the epilogue. I have rough drafts of the first couple of chapters of The Galactic Trinity written out, but they need a lot of editing. I will post some excerpts from them in the epilogue to give you a taste of where this continuing story will go next. I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have. It's been a hell of a ride. I'll catch all of you next time. Later!

~Sere~


	29. Epilogue

**A/N **So here we are. After eight months this crazy idea that I started on a whim has come to completion…or has it? What started out as what was going to be a maximum 20 chapter story has turned into a giant with 29 installments and a sequel that is in the works. I never thought that this story would receive the response that it has, and as a writer I can think of no better honor than reading the reviews that you wonderful readers send to me. So for one last time (wipes eyes…omigosh, I'm actually crying here) let me give out my hugs to my fabulous reviewers. BIG HUGS TO:

**dbzsailormoonavatar**

**tiny2008**

**sailor crystal bell**

**hime-futatsu**

**TatianaRomanov**

**LittleBitsD**

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**Serandi82**

**CharmedSerenity3**

**chimichurri**

**madorno81**

**Swinkinator**

**Ms. Fairweather**

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**rainbabie**

**S dot Serenity**

**small town minx**

**SailorMercuryROCKS**

**ange de l'aube**

As I have said before, you guys are the absolute greatest. If it hadn't been for your support and encouragement I probably would have never finished this. I'm going to go bawl into my pillow now and let you read this. I'll talk to you again at the end.

_**ENJOY!**_

The Lunar Princess of the Earth

Epilogue

Endings and Beginnings

**Crystal Tokyo - 30th Century**

"I don't know what else to do, Serena," King Endymion's voice came over the phone. "He's just sitting there in the middle of her studio in a daze. I tried talking to him, but he doesn't even acknowledge I'm here."

Neo Queen Serenity sighed as her grip around the cell phone she was holding to her ear tightened. "Well it's no surprise he's acting like that, Darien. I told you he had no business going back to the house. I knew it would be hard for him. He should have stayed here."

"I agree," Endymion said. "But Andrew's a grown man and can make his own decisions. If I could have, I would have kept him sedated. But it's not good to keep giving him that stuff. Although I'm almost tempted to ambush him with a syringe full and drag him back. The poor guy is just torturing himself. You should have seen him when we first got here. He's wandered through every room in the house like a zombie. The only time I've seen any shred of feeling in him was when he got to the bedrooms. He spent quite a bit of time in both of the kid's rooms. Then when he got to his and Jess's room, he just froze. All of a sudden he tore up the stairs to the studio and threw himself on the couch. He's been there every since."

"Poor Drew," Serenity sympathized. "I hate to think of him putting himself through this. It's not fair."

"Have you heard from Pluto yet?" the king asked.

"No," she answered glumly. "And that's starting to bother me. I thought the fight would be over by now and she would have contacted me. I hope nothing went wrong. If everything worked out, Jess and the kids should have been returned by now."

"Don't worry," Endymion soothed her. "I'm sure everything's fine. If anything too drastic happened we would have started seeing the repercussions by now."

"I know you're right," she whispered. "But I can't help but worry."

He chuckled gently. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't. Now why don't you go upstairs and curl up in front of the TV with a pint of ice cream and take a load off for a while. You're not doing anyone any good by pacing the halls."

Serenity stopped dead in her tracks in the middle of the hall where she had indeed been pacing. "How did you…never mind. So do you think you'll be home soon?"

Endymion heaved a sigh. "One way or another. I can't take much more of watching him like this. I'll be home in time for dinner, even if I have to drag him kicking and screaming back with me. But I meant what I said, go get some rest. You have hardly slept at all lately. Doctor's orders."

That got a giggle from her. "Yes sir, Dr. Shields. I'll be a good girl and do what you say."

He groaned. "That would be a first for you. I'll see you in a little bit."

She smiled gently. "Okay sweetie. I love you."

She could hear the answering smile in his voice. "I love you, too."

She flipped her phone shut and stuck it in the pocket of her jeans. Normally she didn't wander around the palace in what she deemed to be her normal clothes, but things had been so tense lately that she had said the hell with it and had thrown on a pair of old, worn jeans and her favorite sweatshirt that had once belonged to her husband that she had stolen from him.

Deciding that a nap might do her some good, she turned toward the stairs intending to go up to her room and see if she could manage to squeeze in a few winks.

"Your Majesty!" a high-pitched voice suddenly called out to her.

Turning around, she watched as the small, furry body of a gray cat came running down the hall. As it reached her, the feline tried to stop. But her momentum was so great that it sent her sliding across the highly polished floor and crashing into a wall.

"Diana!" Serenity exclaimed. "Are you okay? What's the matter?"

The petite cat got back to her feet and shook her head to clear it. "I'm fine, your majesty. I just had to come and tell you this. You know I've been helping Sailor Pluto by watching the time gate for her while she's gone. Well a few minutes ago I was watching the timeline and suddenly the main time stream began to glow and all of those other alternate timelines just turned gray. What does that mean?"

The queen's heart began to pound in her chest. She had a hunch what it might mean, but she was afraid to get her hopes up. "I'm not entirely sure, Diana. But maybe…"

She broke off as the sound of a banging door was heard from one of the upper floors and was quickly followed by the pounding of running footsteps. She turned around just in time to see a blur fly down the stairs and past her. The only thing she could make out were the long strands of caramel colored hair flying behind the person.

"Jess," she whispered, standing frozen in place for a moment before her brain finally kicked in. "Jess," she called louder, running after the other woman, thankful that she was wearing her jeans and not her long, formal dress.

_'Wow, I forgot how fast she can move when she's in a hurry to get somewhere.'_ Serenity thought to herself as she tailed Jess, trying to keep her in sight. Of course, it didn't take a genius to know where she was going. The bond between Jess and Andrew was just as strong as the one between her and Darien. It would lead them straight to each other every time.

* * *

Andrew leaned his head back on the couch, lost in the memories. How many times had he sat in this exact spot, talking to his wife or enjoying the comfortable silence between them as he watched her work? Hundreds? Thousands? If he focused really hard, he could almost see her standing there in front of her easel, brow furrowed and the tip of her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she brought another masterpiece to life.

If you looked closely, you could still see the remains of his daughter's attempt to copy her mother on one of the walls. When she was four, the little girl had taken her crayons and had drawn her own colorful creation on the wall. She had been proud of herself and had called it her 'misterpace' in her adorable lisping voice. Jess had thought it was brilliant, and had never attempted to wash it off or paint over it. After ten years though, it had faded until you had to look hard to see it.

And there on the shelf sat what looked to be a shapeless lump of clay. It was his son's attempt at doing a ceramic figurine during a school art class. The boy had claimed that it was supposed to be a statue of Nebula, and it was certainly orange enough, but it in no way resembled a cat, or anything else for that matter. But Jess had displayed it proudly and bragged about how talented he was as she showed it off to anyone who had been unfortunate enough to ask about it.

Andrew chuckled inside. Neither one of his kids had a speck of their mother's artistic ability, but hadn't mattered to Jess. He knew that neither one of them had been perfect parents, but then again, nobody was. He was still proud of his little family, and he wanted nothing more than to have them back with him where they belonged.

He heard the door squeak and looked over, wishing with all of his might that Jess would be the one to come walking through. Her eyes would twinkle as she looked at him in that way she did that made him feel like putty in her hands. All she would have to do is crook a finger at him, and he would be her willing slave.

Instead of his eternally twenty one year old looking wife, he saw the dark haired head of his best friend pop in and look around.

"Hey man," Endymion said as he spotted Andrew sitting on the couch. "Let's go back up to the palace. I'm sure Trista will show up soon with some news. It's better than just sitting here, wallowing."

Andrew sighed as he looked at his longtime friend. Those deep blue eyes that were the same as hers and their son's stared back at him. He could almost hear her yelling at him, telling him to get up off of his ass and stop moping around so much.

He pushed himself wearily to his feet. "Okay, let's go."

Endymion shook his head in surprise. He had been expecting this to be a battle, not a quick surrender. But hey, he wasn't going to argue

The two men made their way downstairs and headed for the front door. Just as Andrew reached for the knob, he paused. All of the hair on the back of his neck rose to stand on end and he heard a voice whisper his name softly.

His heart began pounding and his hands started to sweat and shake. He knew this feeling, but after days and days of disappointment, he didn't know if he could believe it.

All coherent thought flew out of his head as a wave of outreaching energy slammed into him. He threw the door open and took off running down the street like the hounds of hell were snapping at his heels. He heard Endymion holler out after him, but ignored the man. He had someone else calling to him.

Luckily the house wasn't even a full block from the palace gates, and he made it there in what seemed to be mere seconds. The guards at the gate just stared at him in shock when he tore past them. They weren't used to seeing the king's chief business advisor acting in such a way.

A few seconds later, their jaws hit the ground when the king, dressed simply in blue jeans and a hooded pullover ran past them in the same manner. After a moment, the two guards just shook their heads. These people might be royalty and part of the court, but you never quite knew what to expect from them.

Andrew's running steps were thudding in synch with his rapidly beating heart as he ran up the long driveway leading to the palace. He knew now that his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. She was close. He could feel it.

He had just passed by one of the many flower gardens when saw someone run out of it out of the corner of his eye. He skidded to a stop at the same time the other person did. They both turned slowly to look at each other.

Sapphire blue met hazel green. Two hearts could almost be audibly heard as they pounded together in perfect harmony. The world seemed to stand still, and all was quiet…at least for a moment.

"Drew!" Jess shrieked, launching herself at him and knocking them both to the ground. She was laughing and crying at the same time as she straddled his waist, peppering his face with tiny kisses.

Andrew lay there in shock for a few seconds. Finally his poor, battered brain realized that she was real. His wife was alive and well, and currently overwhelming his senses completely. He reached a shaking hand up and buried it in her thick, curly hair, pulling her head back just a little so he could look into her dancing eyes once more.

"Don't you ever leave me again," he growled before claiming her lips with a passion so intense that it was amazing that the whole planet didn't go up in flames. They were oblivious to the fact that their pursuers had caught up to them and that others had begun to stream out of the palace to see what the commotion was.

Their fixation with each other was broken when two excited voices finally penetrated through the haze they were in. "Mom, Dad!"

They broke apart and looked toward the palace where two fourteen year olds had suddenly burst through the doors and were making a beeline straight for them. They were both laughing when the two teens reached them and jumped on them, creating a mess of tangled arms and legs as they all tried to hug each other at once.

Eventually they sorted themselves out and got up off the ground. There was another flurry of excitement as Jess and the kids were hugged and welcomed back by everyone else.

Andrew watched in relief as his wife was talking with Serenity and his kids were busy catching up with their friends. It was hard to believe that he had his family back. Just when he thought they had been granted all the miracles they could be blessed with in this life, another would come along and astound him.

A sudden scream pierced the air. "Jess!"

Everyone turned to see Rini racing toward them. She practically mowed over everyone in her path in her haste to get to the woman who was her sister in every way except genetically. She threw herself at the blonde, almost sending them both tumbling to the ground.

"I don't believe it, you're really back!" the pink haired teen exclaimed as she hugged Jess tightly.

Jess laughed, returning the tight embrace with one of her own. "Believe it, cotton candy head. It takes more than an evil entity with a superiority complex to keep Sailor Shadow down. Now do you mind loosening the stranglehold? I would like to breathe."

"Oops, sorry," Rini apologized, letting go and turning to greet her parents.

Serenity and Endymion both enveloped her in huge hugs, whispering to her about how proud of her they were. Once they had broken apart, she looked around at the various members of her eclectic family.

Her gaze fell on one member that was standing apart from everyone else, watching the scene with brooding light blue eyes, his ebony hair catching the last rays of the dying sun. He gave the appearance of just casually watching the reunion, but she saw his eyes constantly return to watch a certain blonde haired teen.

She sidled over next to him. "You should go welcome her back. I know you missed her."

The boy snorted. "Yeah right. Like I would miss her with all of her whining and complaining. It's been kind of nice and quiet without her around. Her brother may be my best friend, but I still don't see how those two can be related, much less twins. They're nothing alike."

Rini chuckled. "You have a lot to learn, little bro. You can deny it all you want, but I know you have feelings for her. One day you'll realize it."

The boy just snorted and walked over to join his best friend, trying his best to ignore the girl that stood at her brother's side. Other than a cursory glance, the girl made a show of not paying him any attention either.

Rini grinned. Oh yes, she could see it clearly. Those two may be fighting it now, but one day they would have the power to bring each other to their knees.

"So you sense it too?" a voice asked next to her.

She turned to find an equally grinning Mina. The goddess of love was also watching the pair of teens with interest, her blue eyes shining with excitement. "Those two remind me so much of Serena and Darien when they first met with the way they pick on each other. It's almost like déjà vu."

Rini giggled. "I don't know if I would go that far. Mom and Dad may have fought, but those two seem to take things to a whole other level."

She continued to smile as she looked around at all of her loved ones, but the empty feeling she had felt earlier while surrounded by most of these same people in their past forms returned. She missed Helios.

As if her thoughts had created him, a bright flash of light heralded the arrival of the Elysian priest. He bowed a quick greeting to the king and queen before turning his sights on her. He grinned as he saw her eyes brighten.

"Helios! What in the world are you doing here?" she cried as she jumped at him and wrapped him into a huge hug. It only lasted for a few moments before she pulled away under the watchful eye of her parents. Endymion's eyes held a slightly guarded look, but it disappeared when Serenity elbowed him lightly in the ribs and gave the couple a knowing smile.

Helios inclined his head to his princess formally. "I'm here on a diplomatic mission. It seems that both of us have been invited to a victory party of sorts, and my future queen has gone as far as to threaten me with bodily harm if I didn't come claim you and escort you to the festivities."

Rini barked out a laugh. "Yeah right! I'm sure Serena would be happy if I didn't show up. She'd have more food to pig out on then."

"Hey, I resent that!" Serenity exclaimed indignantly, causing a ripple of chuckles around them. "How did I ever raise such an ungrateful daughter?" she teased.

Rini stuck her tongue out at her and then giggled as she leapt on her mother, giving her a big hug. "Sorry, mom. It was there and I just had to say it. Anyway, it's common knowledge around here. Everybody knows better than to come between you and food. Anyhow, looks like I'm off to a party. I'll be home soon."

Serenity gave her one last squeeze and then whispered to her. "You better be home tomorrow. Have you bothered to look at a calendar lately? Tomorrow is a special day."

Rini pulled back and looked at her mother in confusion for a moment as she began picturing the days in her head. Slowly, it clicked to her what Serenity was talking about. Then she grinned mischievously. "Oh yeah. I wonder if he's even thought about it. With everything that's been going on and all, I bet it slipped his mind."

Serenity rolled her eyes and cocked her head at her husband. "Well I know one person that's tried to conveniently forget about it. You would think he was being threatened with a needle to listen to him talk."

"No talk of needles, please." Jess broke in, throwing an arm around both of them. "I hate those things, you know." She shuddered.

"We were discussing some plans for tomorrow," Serenity informed her. "I wasn't going to do anything. But now that you're back, my original plans are back on track."

"Huh? Did I miss something?" Jess muttered in confusion. "I don't even know what day it is."

With a quick glance to make sure her father wasn't listening, Rini whispered the date in Jess's ear. A wide grin broke across the older woman's face.

"Excellent!" she exclaimed in an excited whisper. "I'm in the mood to party. And speaking of parties, shouldn't you get going, Rini? I'm sure our past selves are ready to party too."

Rini stepped away from them. "You're right, I'd better go. I'll be home tomorrow, mom." Then she leapt on Endymion and hugged him too. "Bye Dad! See ya later!"

"Behave yourself," he called after her, frowning a little as he watched his daughter grab Helios's hand and disappear in a flash of light.

"Oh, stop screwing up your face like that, Darien!" Serenity exclaimed, pushing his shoulder lightly. "Our little girl is growing up, and you know Helios would never do anything to hurt her."

Endymion's jaw tensed for a second. "He better not." Then he turned a wary look on her. "So what trouble were you plotting with Rini and Jess? The three of you looked awfully suspicious."

Serenity just smiled sweetly. "Nothing for you to worry about, honey. It's just girl stuff."

Endymion groaned.

* * *

**Tokyo, Japan - Present Day**

The news announcer's voice droned monotonously from the TV behind the counter in the arcade.

"Scientists around the world are scrambling frantically tonight to try to find the cause of several natural phenomena's that occurred simultaneously earlier today. Tremors were felt on every continent and unexplained storms blew up unexpectedly. Luckily the tectonic disturbance seemed to settle quickly and the storms blew themselves out within minutes. These surprising events have many experts worried, however, and the top scientists from around the globe have vowed to work around the clock to find the answer to these recent events."

Jess let the breath hiss between her teeth. "Damn, talk about giving a new meaning to the phrase 'shaking things up'. I didn't really do all of that, did I?"

A hand reached over and flipped the TV off. "You shouldn't be watching that crap. What happened is in the past. End of story," Andrew chastised her.

Serena took a long slurp of her milkshake. "He's right. It's all done and over. It got intense for a few minutes, but everything worked out. No since dwelling on it."

Jess shook her head. "Don't any of you get it? It could have been a lot worse. You guys have no idea how close I was to losing it back there."

"But you didn't," Darien said, setting his coffee cup down on the counter. "You were upset and could have let it overwhelm you, but in the end you knew that to release that power in rage would destroy the world. You looked past your own feelings and decided that the welfare of the planet was more important."

Jess blushed and looked down. "Don't try to make me out to look like a saint. Yeah, I thought about the planet and all the people that live here, but really it was more like I gave up. If Discord had made a move on me at that moment, I honestly think I would have just sat there and let him kill me. I wouldn't have fought back."

Serena snorted. "I don't believe that for a second. He was trying to beat you down when he brought up those memories of your past, but you're way too stubborn to just up and quit."

Jess let out a peal of laughter. "You know what? You just might be right. He screwed up when he did that. I guess he was trying to make me feel like my parents didn't love me or that I never had any friends by just picking out those few memories, but he never bothered to look at the rest. Okay, so I freaked my parents and some other people out on a few occasions and I had a bit of a reputation for being different. But once Nebula came along and I finally realized what was happening, I was able to lighten up. I had some great friends back in high school, and even though we have grown apart I keep in touch with some through e-mail. And I admit I was depressed for a while before I came here, but that didn't last long."

She grinned at Andrew, who returned it. "I stomped around this city for three weeks, wondering what the hell I was doing here. I knew that everyone that had been reincarnated from the Silver Millennium was here, but I didn't know where to begin looking. Then one day I came storming in here in an extremely bad mood in search of a decent cherry coke, and the rest is history."

"Speaking of which," Andrew announced, setting a glass full of her favorite soda in front of her with a flourish. "For you, milady."

She grabbed the glass and her eyes fluttered closed as she groaned at the first heavenly sip. Then she looked at him in exasperation. "You're never going to tell me the secret to this, are you?"

He smiled wickedly. "Nope. That drink is one sure fire way to make certain that you stay right here. I'm the only one that will be able to give you your fix."

"Ohh," Mina purred, sauntering over to them, her eyes sparkling. "Do I hear an innuendo in that statement?"

"Butt out, Mina!" Jess and Andrew exclaimed together, and then collapsed into laughter.

"Hey, what did I miss?" a new voice asked as Rini and Helios came through the door. "You didn't start the party without me, did you?"

Rini eyed all of the people scattered around the arcade and all of the food and drinks that were being consumed, then she sniffed. "I should have known. Did anyone save anything for me?"

Serena jumped up and ran to hug her future daughter. "Of course there's plenty left. We wouldn't leave you out." Then in a softer voice she asked, "How are things in the future?"

Rini grinned big. "They're fine. Everything's back like it should be. No more worries there."

Serena was thrilled to see the haunted look gone from Rini's eyes. It had bothered her to see how upset the younger girl had been the last few weeks. Now she had returned to being the same happy, carefree teenager she had been before. She led Rini and Helios over to the counter.

"One triple chocolate shake with extra whipped cream and sprinkles for our youngest hero princess," Andrew announced, setting a tall glass on the counter. "You kicked butt today, Rini."

Rini squealed delightedly, then shocked everyone when she pushed it toward Helios. "You've got to try this. Nobody makes milkshakes like Drew."

The dream priest smiled indulgently at her and took a long pull from the straw. "It's very good." He offered the glass back to her.

Darien growled under his breath as he watched his future daughter place her lips around the same straw that Helios's had been around just moments before. It was almost as if they were kissing in front of him. He opened his mouth, but found Serena's hand covering it.

'_Don't say anything,' _her voice snapped in his head. _'Let our future selves handle it.'_

He sighed under her hand and nodded his head, looking over at the pink pigtails of the girl who would one day be born to him and Serena. Rini was happily slurping her milkshake while alternating between looking at Helios and, for some unknown reason, keeping a watchful on the clock that hung on the wall.

The next few hours flew by and conversation flowed easily around the room as everyone took a chance to totally relax after the last few months of chaos. For the first time all summer they could let their guard down and not have to worry about when the next attack was going to happen.

The quiet, soothing atmosphere was broken when as the clock struck midnight, Rini stood up with a loud "Ah Ha!"

Everyone jumped, immediately looking around for any trouble. Serena and Jess both let out startled squeaks and would have fallen from their seats if Darien and Andrew hadn't caught them.

"What in the world, Rini?" Serena gasped. "What was that for?"

A calculating smile appeared on the younger girl's lips as she pointed to the clock. "It's midnight. A new day has begun. Does anyone have any idea what today is?"

Confused glances were shared around the arcade as everyone tried to remember what the date was. So much had been happening recently that they had lost track of the days.

Darien's faced paled as he caught the triumphant look in Rini's sparkling eyes. He silently pleaded with her, but she shook her head. "You're not getting away that easily, daddy dearest."

Jess turned to look at a nearby calendar. "It's August 3rd, what's that got to with…" she trailed off. She'd had the same birthday in both lives, April 14th. Serena and Serenity also shared the same birthday of June 30th. Endymion's birthday had been…

Serena went wide-eyed. "Omigosh, August 3rd. Happy 22nd birthday, Darien!"

He groaned. "I was hoping no one would remember." It wasn't exactly a happy day for him. It might be his birthday, but it was also the anniversary of the day that he had lost his parents in that horrible car crash sixteen years before. He had spent years ignoring that date. But once Serena had invaded his world, she had always tried to make every birthday memorable for him.

"Don't be silly," Serena told him. "Of course I would never let your birthday go by without acknowledging it. Oh, I have so much to do." She jumped up from her seat. "I need all of the scouts in the back corner booth, pronto. We have plans to make."

Darien laid his head down on the counter with a thump, then raised it to glare at Rini. "Are you happy now?"

She grinned. "Immensely. The fun part is I get to do it again later on when I get home. There's no telling what my mom has planned for my dad." She skipped off to join the now chattering women.

Jess stared on in mystified wonder at the animated, golden haired princess. "Is she like that with everyone's birthdays? That's scary."

Darien nodded. "Yep, and don't think you're immune from it either. The moment she found out who you were she circled your birthday on her calendar."

"Great," she grumbled. "And since it seems that everyone has the same birthdates in both lives I can't even hide it from her."

Andrew chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Nope, but you get used to it as time goes on. It's just the way our mismatched little family is."

Jess leaned against him and smiled. _'Family,'_ she thought. _'I have a family again.'_

She felt her boyfriend's arms tighten around her, and then his voice whispered in her head, _'Yes you do, and we all love you. But none of the others will ever love you as much as I do.'_

She leaned her head back to look at him. Her deep blue eyes locked on to his hazel green, and the rest of the world seemed to fade away. In that moment they could have been the only two people in existence. Forgetting that they were surrounded by a whole swarm of people, he lowered his head toward hers. Their lips had barely touched when reality intruded.

"Jess," Serena complained. "Get over here. I need your help. You'll have time to get lovey dovey with Drew later. We have more important things to discuss right now."

Jess growled inaudibly. "Okay, she's insane. Doesn't she know better than to interrupt people when they're having a moment? She'd be pissed if someone did that to her."

Andrew grinned. "Yeah, she would be, but don't worry about it. Soon everyone will be going home. And then you and I will be all alone, just the two of us."

Her cheeks flushed, but her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Sounds good to me. I'll be back in a minute, lover." She purred this as she slid from her stool and began walking away with a distinct sway of her hips.

Andrew gulped, trying to force down the lump that had just risen in his throat. He grabbed her soda that she had left behind and took several swallows. He met Darien's gaze over the rim.

Those dark blue orbs burned into him. "Listen Drew. She may not be my daughter in this life, and you are my best friend, but if you ever hurt her I'll have to kick your ass."

Andrew returned his serious look with one of his own. "You don't have to worry about that. It would kill me to ever hurt her. After all of this time, I finally understand the depth of feeling that holds you and Serena and the others together. I used to think that soul mates was just a figure of speech, but now I know it's real. I'm never letting her go. I'm going to marry her someday and spend the rest of my life with her."

A big grin split Darien's face. "That's all I wanted to hear." His eyes wandered over to the booth where his own fiancé was busy making plans for what he was sure would be an interesting night and chuckled. "Our lives will never be boring with those two, that's for sure."

Andrew nodded. "Yeah, you never know what to expect with them."

Jess screeched suddenly and jumped up from her seat at the booth, staring fearfully out the front window of the arcade. Before anyone could ask what was wrong, she flew for the door that led to the stairs to the apartment above.

"Tell her I died. Or better yet, tell her you never heard of me. Whatever you do, don't any of you dare tell her where I am," she screamed as she slammed the door behind her.

Everyone was silent in shock until the door to the arcade opened and three cats walked in. Luna and Artemis seemed calmed and composed, but Nebula seemed to be crackling with irritation. Her tail stuck straight up in the air and her hair stood on end.

"Where is she?" the orange cat ground out. She looked around, but everyone avoided her angry amber eyes. She hopped up onto to counter and pinned Andrew with a stare. "Andrew, where is she?"

He fixed his eyes on the counter, wiping the same spot over and over with a towel. "I don't know…" He yelped and pulled his hand back as she took a swipe at him, barely missing sinking her claws into his flesh.

The feline's eyes glowed in triumph. "That's okay. I know where she is."

She walked over to the closed door to the stairway. "Jessica Elaine Alexander, get your skinny butt down here right now! You have a lot of explaining to do young lady! I thought I taught you better. So do you want to tell me why the whole planet was shaking like a Mexican jumping bean earlier, or do I need to go back to the apartment and sharpen my claws on your canvases?"

There was a muffled thump upstairs followed by a wailing, "Nooo!!!" Andrew felt a now familiar tingling sensation and grinned. He walked to the front door of the arcade and stepped out just in time to catch the falling body of Sailor Shadow in his arms as she leapt from the window of his… no their… apartment. He set her on her feet.

She smiled sweetly at him and then leaned forward to stick her head inside the door to glare at the indignant cat. "You'll have to catch me first. And don't even think about touching my paintings or I'll haul you to the nearest vet I can find and have you declawed, you ungrateful fleabag. This is the thanks I get for helping to save the world? And by the way, I'm moving in here with Drew. So you better be nice to me, or you might find yourself having to live with your sister and Artemis."

Artemis let out a startled meow and hopped up onto Mina's lap, looking for sympathy. Nebula continued to glare at her young charge for a moment before her eyes softened. "I know I have a hard time showing it, but I am proud of you. You'll have to forgive this old cat. I was so scared when I felt your power release earlier. I thought I would never see you again."

Tears formed in Jess's eyes as she walked back into the arcade. She let go of her transformation and knelt in front of her advisor that had been with her for so long. "Do you really mean that, Nebula?"

The cat nodded her head. "I'm proud of you, and so is Aurora. We've come down a long road together, one I wasn't sure of what the outcome would be. But in the end you came through. Now the mission that Queen Serenity gave me a millennia ago has been completed."

Jess scooped the furry body up in her arms and held her tight. "Oh Nebula, the mission may be over, but I'll always need you. What would happen to me if I didn't have you around nagging and complaining all the time?"

If cats could grin, then Nebula would have been. "You would be an absolute mess. You would probably be late for all of your classes. And when you finally remembered what time it was you would go running out in paint-covered clothes with a paintbrush tucked behind your ear. Not to mention the fact that your vocabulary would seriously decline without me there to reprimand you for your cussing."

Jess giggled. "You're right. I'm absolutely hopeless, aren't I?"

Nebula rolled her eyes and looked at Andrew. "Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into? She could try the patience of a saint, believe me."

Andrew chuckled. "I think I'll survive."

Serena let out a frustrated sigh. "Are we done with the dramatics now? I still have a party I'm trying to plan here. Okay, so Lita's got the cake covered. Mina and Raye are on decoration duty. Oh Andrew, can we have it here? It's the only place big enough to hold everyone. Unless Kunzite and the others want to let us have it at their place."

Andrew nodded automatically as Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoicite's faces paled at the thought of having the group of sailor scouts partying at their place. The girls may be practically living with them now, but when music and liquor were involved anything could happen.

Serena continued on in a rush. "I've got so much to do. I've definitely got to hit the mall. Jess, you'll have to pull yourself away from Andrew long enough to go with me. Amy, I need you to…."

Everyone slipped into a semi comatose state as they listened to their princess prattle on about the preparations to celebrate their prince's birthday. The poor prince in question sat in his usual spot at the counter, slumped over his coffee cup, seriously debating whether or not he could pull off being sick.

* * *

**Crystal Tokyo – 30****th**** Century**

King Endymion lay alone on the huge bed in his and his wife's bedchamber, staring up bleakly at the crystal ceiling. He would give anything to have this day done and over with. He didn't know why his wife was always so insistent on making a big ordeal about his birthday. True, he always made a production out of hers, but that was different. He had just never cared about celebrating his.

He rubbed a hand over his face wearily. He didn't look a day older than twenty-five, but in reality it had been 1,041 years since he had been reborn in this lifetime. Of course, a thousand of those years had been spent in a deep sleep while the Earth had been frozen over. He just didn't see the need to celebrate anymore.

There was a soft knock at the door and he closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He heard the soft click of the knob being turned and then the slight whisper of the door opening.

"Dad?" Rini's voice said softly. "Are you awake?"

He almost answered her, but decided it was in his best interest to keep his eyes shut and his breathing even. He heard her shift her feet uneasily as she took in the scene he had carefully orchestrated. The clothes thrown haphazardly across the chair, the thermometer and the bottle of cold medicine on the bedside table, and then himself tucked into the wide king sized bed.

He heard his sixteen-year-old daughter cluck her tongue as she backed quietly out of the room and closed the door behind her. He jumped up as soon as he was sure he was alone, knowing he would only have a few minutes, and ran to the bathroom where he wet a rag with hot water and then held it over his face for a minute.

When he took it off, he looked flushed and his skin was hot to the touch. He patted his face dry and flew back to the bed. He climbed back in and covered himself up, closing his eyes and feigning sleep again, and not a moment to soon.

He heard the door open again, and then the whisper of light footsteps across the carpet. A cool hand lay upon his cheek while another one swept the hair back from his eyes.

"Oh dear," Serenity said softly. "The poor thing's gone and gotten sick. That's too bad, he'll have to miss his own party. Oh well, I still owe Rini for her not being here for her birthday, so I guess we'll just turn it into her party. It'll be sweet to watch her and Helios dance the night away."

Endymion almost groaned aloud at his wife's statement and his hands balled up into fists under the covers. He didn't have a problem with Helios. He just had an issue with his daughter being in any kind of a romantic relationship.

Serenity had often argued on Rini's behalf, reminding him that she herself had only been fourteen when they had started dating. Not to mention that she had been barely sixteen when she had married him during the Silver Millennium and had borne him a daughter before she had turned seventeen. Although they had waited until a later age to wed in this life, they had still consummated their physical relationship when she had been sixteen.

That didn't matter to him. This was his only daughter. He knew that one day she would marry Helios, but he wasn't ready to start letting go yet. She was still his Small Lady, even if she refused to let anyone call her that anymore.

Serenity's hand stilled in the act of smoothing his hair. "Ah ha," she said in triumph. "I knew that would get a reaction out of you. Open your eyes and look at me, Darien. You know you can't fool me. I can feel your emotions, remember?"

He sighed and opened his eyes and glared at his wife, who had the nerve to grin cheekily at him. She might be 1,038 years old, but deep inside she was still an exuberant teenager with the face of a twenty two year old angel.

"What, Serena?" he growled at her.

She giggled. "Did you honestly think that this little plan of yours would work? I mean really, throwing your clothes around, the thermometer, and the medicine? I bet if I walk into the bathroom I'll find the wet rag you used to make yourself look like you have a fever. Really Darien. I'm married to a doctor and have two kids, I know a fake when I see one."

His scowl faded and his eyes turned pleading. "Do I really have to go through with this? I hate celebrating my birthday, you know that."

She stepped away from the side of the bed and headed for their massive walk in closet, calling over her shoulder. "Come on, Darien. It's not like I invited the entire kingdom to a ball or anything. It's just us and our friends and family getting together to have a little fun. It's not often that we get to do that these days."

He got out of the bed and followed her into the closet that was almost as big as their bedroom. He passed the racks that held his suits and other formal clothing that he was required to wear as king and the rows of long gowns that belonged to the queen. He cornered her in the back where they kept their casual clothes that they preferred to wear in their down time.

"I don't have a problem spending time with everyone, I just don't like being the center of attention," he complained. "Why can't this just be a party for the sake of having a party? Why does my birthday have to get dragged into it?"

Serenity turned and tossed a pair of his jeans and soft cotton, long sleeved black shirt at him. He caught them with a sigh.

Serenity put her hands on her hips. "For your information, this isn't just about you. We are also celebrating the fact that our daughter is now a young lady of sixteen and that one of our best friends and her children have been returned to us safely. So quit being such an ass and get dressed."

She turned back to the clothes and began rummaging through hers, looking for something to wear. Darien pulled off the sweatpants and t-shirt he had been wearing and slipped into the jeans. He turned around just in time to see Serenity pull the shirt she had been wearing over her head, leaving her upper half bare except for her lacy bra.

An evil smirk twisted his lips as he snuck up behind her and pulled her into his arms, making her gasp as she felt his fingers on her bare skin.

"Can't we just stay here for the night?" he whispered low in her ear. "I think it could be much more enjoyable." He grinned as she shivered against him.

She tried to pull away from him, but failed. "No way, Darien. That's not going to work on me this time. Every time there is something that you don't want to go do, you try to seduce me into staying locked up with you."

He gave her his trademark smirk. "And it usually works."

She tried to glare angrily at him, but couldn't quite hide the passion that was beginning to burn in her eyes. "Well it's not working this time, mister."

"Are you sure about that?" he breathed into her ear before he placed a kiss on the sensitive skin of her neck.

"I…I," she stammered before turning in his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Damn you," she growled before pulled his head down and kissed him with everything she had. She had been with this man in three different millennia, had married him twice, and had given birth to his children, but every time she kissed him it was just as exciting as their first kiss in the rose garden of the earth palace over 2,000 years ago.

He was prepared for her response, had been expecting it actually, so he wasted no time in gathering her up in his arms until her feet dangled several inches above the floor. He stumbled a few steps until her back came into contact with the wall. He groaned as he leaned in against her, the bare skin of his chest coming into close contact with her almost naked torso.

As if suddenly realizing their intimate position, Serenity tore her mouth away from his and gulped in several rasping breaths. "Damn you," she said again in a broken whisper. "Why do you always do this to me? We don't have time for this right now. I bet some people have already shown up and you want us to stay here and go at it in the closet like a couple of hormonal teenagers."

The mention of hormonal teenagers brought reality crashing back on him as he thought of what his wife had said while he had been feigning sleep. "Helios isn't really coming tonight is he?"

Serenity rolled her eyes at him. "Of course he is. I told you, we're celebrating our daughter's birthday too. He is her boyfriend even if we asked them to wait until she was eighteen to become engaged."

"Now I have to go to this party so I can keep an eye on them," he muttered under his breath.

Serenity smiled superiorly at him. "Exactly! Now let me go so we can get ready. And if you're a good boy, maybe I'll give you a special present later when we're alone." She wriggled in his arms as she slid her body down his until her toes touched the ground.

He moaned low in the back of his throat as his eyes rolled back and closed. "You're torturing me, woman."

Her look turned impish. "Payback. You do it to me all the time. Now let's get moving."

His arms tightened around her and he pressed her further into the wall as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, murmuring, "No, not yet."

Her breath hissed out between her teeth as she felt his lips move across her skin. "Dare…we really don't have time…Oh forget it! Let them wait." She turned her head to meet his lips again as he finished leaving a trail up her neck.

Endymion groaned in approval and was reaching for the clasp of her bra when an irritated voice floated to them from the bedroom.

"Mom, Dad, I know you guys are in the closet. And I don't care if you are trying to have a private moment. You two better get out here, now!" Rini said angrily. "Everybody's here and now we're waiting on you two."

The couple in the closet pulled a few inches away from each other, both breathing heavily and faces flushed.

"We'll be out in a minute," Serenity called out in a breathless sounding voice.

"You better be," Rini called back. "As a matter of fact I'm staying right here until you're ready. I know if I leave now you'll never come out."

Serenity and Endymion both growled slightly as they listened to their daughter complaining to herself in the next room about how her parents were an embarrassment and would never grow up.

Endymion leaned his forehead against Serenity's. His deep, dark blue eyes stared deeply into her much lighter sky blue ones. "Later?" he asked huskily.

"Definitely later," she agreed, still panting slightly. "I love you, Darien."

He gave her one last quick kiss. "I love you too, Serena. Always."

* * *

**Tokyo, Japan - Present Day**

Serena came awake slowly. It took her a minute to get her bearings and make out her surroundings. In the early, predawn light she could see the deep, red walls of the room and the heavy black dresser across the room. She could feel the gentle slide of the black silk sheets that covered her against her skin as she moved slightly. But what caught her attention most was the firmly muscled chest under her cheek.

She raised her head up to study her fiancé's sleeping features. He always had an innocent, almost childlike look when he slept. His closed lids hid his intense eyes and that ever-stubborn lock of hair that had followed him even from his past life fell over them.

A soft smile turned up Serena's lips as she reached up and gently brushed back the piece of ebony silk, letting her fingers linger in his thick tresses for a moment. This moment was perfect. If ever she could freeze a moment in time and keep it always, this would be the one.

They were at peace once again. The battle the day before yesterday had been a rollercoaster of fear and uncertainty, but in the end good had prevailed over evil once more. She hoped that now everyone could go back to living their lives peacefully again, but for some reason she had an uneasy feeling.

Knowing that she wouldn't be going back to sleep any time soon, she slid gently out of Darien's arms and from the bed. He rolled over and mumbled something incoherent before settling down into a comfortable position.

She quickly slipped into her robe that was draped over a nearby chair and silently eased open the glass doors that led to the balcony. The moon was still out, but was just barely a sliver in the dark sky. She basked in the weak light; taking what comfort she could from it. A cool breeze ruffled her robe and sent her hair dancing, but she was wrapped in the warmth of her old home and barely felt it.

She took a deep breath, trying to settle the unsettling feelings she was having. Discord was gone, sealed away for hopefully a very long time. There was no reason for her to be feeling like this.

'_Maybe if I take a quick look around the city I can convince myself that everything is okay,'_ she thought to herself as she pulled her broach from the pocket of her robe and whispered, "Moon Eternal Power" softly.

She glanced back inside to assure herself that Darien was still asleep and hadn't felt her transform. There was no sense in bothering him about this. She was certain that there was no danger lurking out there, but she would feel better if she checked things out.

Darien was still passed out, now sprawled out on his stomach and even snoring lightly she noticed with a slight giggle. She blew him a kiss and then jumped up onto the balcony railing before leaping to the neighboring rooftop.

She traveled quickly through the night, her destination clear. There was one place that was perfect for surveying the city. A few minutes later she landed on the highest observation platform of Starlight Tower.

A wave of nostalgia hit her as she looked around. It was here that the Silver Crystal had been revealed and everyone's past identities had been discovered all those years ago. She could picture it almost as if it were yesterday. Darien had been injured, and as she held him in her lap there had been a flash of light. They had both remembered in that moment who they truly were and what they had meant to each other. Of course the events that had immediately followed that left a bitter taste in her mouth, but things had worked out in the end.

She walked over to the platform's railing and leaned against it as she gazed out over the city. There was no sign of any disturbance and all was quiet, as it should be. It seemed as if she were truly worrying for nothing.

There was a flicker of movement in the shadows nearby, and she turned quickly, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw who it was.

"Geez, Jess!" she exclaimed. "You almost scared the crap out of me. What are you doing here?"

Sailor Shadow walked out of the darkness and stood next to her, her eyes also eagerly scanning the city below, a smirk turned up her lips. "I imagine I'm here for the same reason you are, Serena. Something just didn't feel right to me and I thought I would take a look."

Sailor Moon nodded, feeling somewhat better that someone else was getting the same strange vibes that she was. "What do you think it is?"

Sailor Shadow shrugged. "Beats me. I can't sense anything wrong, but something just seems off. The planet is calm right now; of course Darien would be able to tell more than I could. And I would think that if this was anything major that Raye, Michelle, or Hotaru would be able to pick up on something."

"You're right," Sailor Moon sighed. "Maybe we're just being paranoid after everything that's happened. Are you here alone?"

Shadow grinned. "Yeah, I woke up with that weird feeling and decided to take a quick look. Andrew was sleeping like a baby when I left. You?"

Sailor Moon's grin matched hers. "Same here. Darien was sawing logs, so I slipped out."

They both giggled softly about their men as they looked out at the sleeping city. The sky was starting to show the first subtle hints at lightening.

Shadow yawned widely. "I guess we're just worrying over nothing. I'm going to head home and try to catch a few more winks. We're still on for lunch later, aren't we?"

Sailor Moon stifled a yawn of her own. "Yeah, Darien and I will meet you and Andrew at the arcade around noon. After we eat I guess we can all head over to the university and pick up our schedules and stuff."

"Cool. I'll see you then." Sailor Shadow said as she jumped from the platform to the roof of a nearby building, making her way back toward the arcade where Andrew was waiting for her in their nice warm bed.

Sailor Moon stood there for a moment, watching the young lady that possessed the soul of her past daughter as she faded from sight. At this moment she felt more like Serenity than she did Serena.

'_The prophecy has been fulfilled,' _she thought. _'I couldn't be more proud of how my little Melody has turned out. She has grown into a strong woman that any mother would glad to claim as her own. And I can't wait to see what the future holds in store for her.'_

Still feeling nostalgic, she left the tower and made her way back to the apartment that was now her home. Landing lightly on the balcony, she dropped her transformation and quietly opened the door. She left her robe on the foot of the bed as she slid under the covers and snuggled up next to Darien, savoring his warmth.

He rolled over and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him as he buried his face into her hair.

"Mhmm," he mumbled in his sleep. "Love you, Sere."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "I love you too, Darien. You are truly the prince of my heart. I will love you forever."

* * *

The mist swirled around the time gate, shrouding the solitary guardian in its wispy tendrils. Sailor Pluto stood at her post, watching the streams in the river of time as they flowed past.

There was a slight disturbance in the misty landscape as another person appeared. Pluto turned to observe the newcomer with a rare smile on her face. She dropped to one knee as she bowed.

"Welcome, Queen Serenity. I can't say this is an unexpected visit," she greeted her past queen.

Queen Serenity's laugh tinkled like bells. "Rise, my dear friend. We have known each other for too many centuries now to stand on such formal terms. Besides, you serve a new queen now."

Sailor Pluto rose gracefully to her feet. "That may be true, your highness, and your daughter has grown to be a wonderful ruler, but you will still always be my queen as well. I assume you have come for a status report?"

The silver haired head of Queen Serenity nodded. "I pray all has returned to normal since Discord has been sealed away once more."

"Yes, your majesty," Sailor Pluto answered with a wave of her garnet rod. Four time mirrors appeared before them. Two showed scenes from Tokyo. One of them showed Jess as she lay next to Andrew, her head resting on his shoulder as they slept. The next one showed the reincarnation of the moon princess and the earth prince, the future rulers of the world, wrapped tightly in each other's arms as they slept as well. The other two mirrors showed the same couples in pretty much the same positions, just a millennium later in Crystal Tokyo.

Queen Serenity smiled at the sight of her daughter and granddaughter with their soul mates, before addressing another issue. "And the children? They are fine as well?"

Pluto waved her staff again, and the four mirrors were replaced by three more, each one showing a slumbering teenager. Two of them were boys, one with unruly hair as black as coal, while the other one sported shaggy locks of light brown. The third mirror showed a girl, almost fairy looking with a light dusting of freckles across her button nose and long, very light blonde hair that almost appeared silver in the faint light.

Queen Serenity sighed as she reached a hand out to lightly trace the features of each one. "My brave little ones, I wish there was some way to spare you the hand that fate has dealt you. But you three, blessed with the power of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, have been the ones chosen to be the next wielders of the Galactic Trinity. I just hope you are more successful at using its magic than your grandfathers and I were. Enjoy the time you have now, for soon I fear that your lives will be changed forever. May Selene, Gaia, and Apollo watch over and protect you."

THE END

**A/N **So that does it for this part of the saga, but our story is far from over. Before you click to the next page to get a sneak peek of the upcoming sequel, _The Galactic Trinity_, I want to take a moment and thank everyone that has read this story. I would love it if I could personally thank each and every person that has reviewed and put this story on alert, but that would be like writing another chapter…LOL. This has been an amazing ride and I look forward to continuing it with all of you. So without further ado, for those of you that are interested, hit the button to the next page to catch a sneak peek into some of the things that will be happening next to our favorite characters. But if you want to, please take a moment to review and tell me what you thought. Reader feedback is important to me. Even if you come across this story for the first time months, or even years from now, I would love to hear what your opinions are. Luv ya guys! You're the best! (Sniffle) I really need a tissue…LOL!

~Sere~


	30. The Galactic Trinity Preview

**A/N **Just to let you know, this story will take place about a year and a half after Lunar Princess. Serena is in her second year of college, studying to become a teacher. Darien has finished school and is now working as a doctor at a local hospital. Andrew graduated with a degree in business and is now running his family's company. Jess is almost done with school and she's already making a name for herself in the local art circles. Please keep in mind that this is a work in progress and some of this may change slightly during editing.

The Galactic Trinity

New cast members

**DJ – **Full name, Prince Darien James Shields – Age, almost 17…Only eleven months younger than his older sister Rini, DJ is Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion's second child. He has his mother's sky blue eyes and his father's ebony hair. More like Darien than Serena in personality. He's in love with his best friend's twin sister, but he's scared of his feelings and picks fights with her. He inherited the power of Earth from Darien's Golden Crystal when he was born. He can conjure roses too, but his are white. When he transforms he looks a lot like Tuxedo Mask, but he's completely in black and doesn't wear a hat. He goes by the name Phantom when in this form.

**Alex – **Full name, Alexander Andrew Furuhata – Age, 16…First born twin of Andrew and Jess. With light brown hair, he inherited his mother's dark blue eyes and his father's easygoing personality. He shares a bond with his sister that goes deeper than most twins and he's very protective of her. He was blessed with the power of the Sun thanks to Andrew's crystal when he was born. When he transforms he takes on a form similar to Andrew's transformation in Lunar Princess, all black clothes with the long black leather duster and dark sunglasses. He goes by the name Phoenix while in his fighting form.

**Katie – **Full name, Kathleen Kimberly Furuhata – Age, 16…Twin sister to Alex and daughter of Jess and Andrew. She has her father's hazel green eyes and light blonde hair that has just enough gold in it to keep it from being platinum. She's extremely close to her brother and is secretly in love with the prince of Crystal Tokyo. She has her mother's quick temper and recent events have made her angry and withdrawn. When she was born the Celestial Crystal chose her, but it only gave her the power of the Moon. When she transforms, she becomes Sailor Eclipse.

**Jack and Sasha – **Both age 17…Abandoned as children, they were taken in and raised by an old man that was possessed by an ancient evil. Over the years they have been brainwashed and conditioned to serve him. They befriend DJ, Alex, and Katie under false pretenses and turn on them when they are ordered to prevent the resurrection of The Galactic Trinity, a magic that was formed by Selene, Apollo, and Gaia that is supposed to be able to defeat the strongest of evil beings.

**Summary – **When an old enemy senses that the power of The Galactic Trinity will soon be awakened, he decides to try to destroy the ones chosen to wield this power before they discover the whereabouts of the Trinity and how to use it. After all three teenagers have been attacked a few times and one was even kidnapped for a few days, their parents sent them to stay in Elysian. Sailor Pluto is ambushed at the time gate and one of her time keys is stolen from her. The enemy also discovers a secret entrance to Elysian hidden in the time plane, allowing them access to the normally secure world. Sailor Pluto arrives in time to help them escape the ambush and takes them to present day Tokyo to put them under the protection of our favorite heroes, hoping that the enemy wouldn't find out what time they were hiding in. In retaliation, the enemies start using the stolen time key to travel through time and start attacking in different eras, even as far back as the Silver Millennium, in hopes of preventing our three newest heroes from ever being born. It'll be a wild fight to save the past, present, and future as well as a time for bonding, friendship, and young love as these three gifted teens struggle to find themselves and discover why the ancient powers of the gods have chosen them for such an important mission.

* * *

**Excerpts from some of what I have written so far - Some of the wording may change during editing, but it should give you a basic idea of what's to come.**

The three kids screamed as the rocky floor beneath then suddenly crumbled beneath their feet, sending them plunging into the darkness below. Luckily it wasn't a long drop, and they escaped with only a few bumps and scrapes.

"Ouch," the girl complained as she stood and rubbed her bottom where she had landed. "That hurt. Where are we anyway?"

The black haired boy rolled his eyes. "Where do you think we are, stupid? We only fell about six feet, so we're pretty much in the same place we were thirty seconds ago."

Hazel green eyes flashed furiously in the semi darkness. "Don't call me stupid, DJ! You're the one that's stupid. I was just asking a question."

Another roll of the cerulean orbs. "And I answered it. You are such a blonde sometimes, Katie."

The third member of their party had been uncharacteristically silent during this exchange. But as he saw the blonde girl's mouth open to deliver another retort, he decided it was time to intervene.

The brunette boy stepped between the two, raising a silencing hand. "Just save it, Katie. It's not worth it. Why do you have to pick on her so much, DJ? She hasn't done anything to you."

The other boy shrugged. "She's just irritating. She thinks she can always get her way, and you make it easier for her by always sticking up for her."

"It's okay, Alex," Katie simpered sweetly. "He can't help it if he's nothing but a stuck up snob. I guess that what happens when you're a prince and a momma's boy."

"Why you little…" DJ growled, taking a threatening step toward the girl.

"Enough!" Alex yelled. "Both of you stop it. I'm tired of listening to you fight. Right now all I want to do is find a way out of here."

DJ glanced up the way they had come. The rock stairway had crumbled away. "Well we're not getting back that way."

"Hey guys," Katie called out. "There's a tunnel over here and I think I see a light coming from somewhere. Maybe this leads out."

The two boys joined her and looked down the darkened tunnel. It was long and creepy looking, but there was a definite glimmer of light at the end.

"What have we got to lose? Let's check it out." DJ said, leading the other two into the tunnel.

* * *

Neo Queen Serenity entered the glassed in conservatory located at the top of the Crystal palace. Her sky blue eyes had a worried look to them as she glanced around quickly. A look of relief crossed her face as she spotted the person she had spent the last several minutes looking for.

Stepping up next to the other woman, she looked out at the dark clouds that hovered on the horizon. Thunder rumbled softly in the distance and there were a few flashes of lightning.

"You're not doing that, are you?" she asked, turning to look at her companion. "It's not like you to let things overwhelm you anymore."

Jess sighed, pushing a stray strand of dark blonde hair behind her ear. "I may have influenced it a little bit, but the storm was already brewing. It just seemed to suit my mood. Are the kids still sleeping?"

Serenity nodded. "Yeah, they were completely worn out from the fight. I'm just glad that none of them were seriously hurt, just a few bumps and bruises. Darien healed those up good as new in about five seconds."

"I can't believe this is finally happening," Jess whispered. "This is the day that I've been dreading since the day I found out I was pregnant. I had hoped that something would change and we wouldn't have to do this. How can we send our children into certain danger? Alex and DJ are strong enough to probably handle it, but Katie…she's so fragile right now. How can I do that to my baby?"

Serenity looked solemn. "I know it's hard. If I could, I would keep DJ locked up right here at home. But they have their destinies to claim just like we did. As much as I hate to admit it, they're not little children anymore. They are standing at the verge of adulthood, and we have to let them go."

* * *

Andrew jumped up from the booth where he was sitting across from Kunzite as they were going over some of the details of their joint business venture.

"I think I left that file sitting on my desk, I'll be right back," he said, hurrying toward the arcade's office. He had finished his business degree about nine months ago and his father had practically turned over the running of the family business to him. He had decided that it was time to expand, and had entered into a deal with Kunzite and the other generals.

Soon the Crown would be more than an arcade. It would be part of an entertainment multiplex. They had bought the whole block and had leveled all of the old crumbling buildings before replacing them with one big, new super structure.

The original arcade was still there, but it was connected to the new building that housed an ice-skating rink, bowling alley, dance club, restaurant, and several other small shops. It would be an entertainment paradise for people of all ages. The old arcade had undergone a transformation in order to fit in with this new image.

This had pleased his fiancé to no end. As an artist, Jess was always looking for ways to change things up and give it more pizzazz. She had been begging him as long as he had known her to let her redecorate the arcade. As he looked around now, he could see that she had truly left her mark on this place. The bright colors and bold designs seemed to increase the level of excitement and enticed the kids that came in to spend their allowance freely.

He grinned as he thought of his fiancé. Spunky and bright, she always kept him on his toes. She would be graduating college in a few months with a degree in art. Then they had the rest of their lives ahead of them.

He'd had to restrain himself on several occasions from hauling her in front of the first preacher he could find and marrying her right then, but she had wanted to wait until she had finished school before taking the plunge with him. Being the understanding person he was, he had respected her wishes. And after seeing some of the headaches that his best friend and his fiancé were going through with wedding plans, even though the wedding was still months away, he was kind of dreading that part.

Lost in thought, he really wasn't paying attention to where he was going. As he passed the door that led to the bathrooms, he ran smack dab into someone that was walking through it. Taken by surprise, they both fell to the floor. Shaking his head, Andrew looked over to see who he had bumped into.

A young girl of about sixteen sat there muttering to herself. "Well that's just damn great. You'd think I'd be able to walk through a simple door without winding up flat on my ass. I swear, shit always seems to happen to me."

Andrew chuckled as he watched her arguing with herself. She pushed her long, light blonde hair out of her face and reached for the black baseball cap that must have fallen off her head when she fell.

He got to his feet and offered a hand to her. "Sorry about that. I wasn't watching where I was going."

At the sound of his voice, her head snapped up. She was wearing dark sunglasses, but they had been knocked askew when she fell, and Andrew caught a glimpse of one widened, surprised hazel eye before she shoved the glasses back into place.

"It's fine," she said in a quiet voice as she took his offered hand. "I always seem to mess up the simplest things. I'm used to it."

He watched as she twisted her hair up and shoved it under the cap. He didn't know why, but she felt familiar to him. "I'm sorry, but have we met before? You look familiar to me for some reason."

She shook her head. "No. I'm new to town. I haven't really met anyone yet."

Andrew shook off the feeling of déjà vu. "Welcome to Tokyo. My name's Andrew by the way."

The girl seemed to cringe at his words before she whispered. "My name's Katie."

* * *

Darien sat across from his best friend, sipping a cup of coffee as they waited for the women in their lives to finally make an appearance. He glanced at his watch. "The mall closed ten minutes ago, so they should be here soon."

Andrew nodded. "I'm just glad we're not with them. I get tired just watching them shop."

"True," Darien agreed. "I don't see how they can keep going for hours like that. I guess it's a woman thing."

Right on cue, the arcade's doors slid open to reveal two women completely loaded down with shopping bags. One was a golden blonde with a ponytail that went past her hips and wide, china blue eyes, while the other was a few inches taller and wore her dark, honey blonde, waist length hair in a thick French braid and had deep sapphire eyes.

Darien chuckled at the sight. "Did you two leave anything in the stores for other people to buy?"

Both women stuck their tongues out at him before giggling and dropping the bags. Sliding into the seats next to their significant others, they greeted them with a hug and a kiss.

Andrew let out a low whistle as he studied the pile of purchases now littering the floor. "I'm sure glad you have your own money. I'd go broke supporting your habit if you didn't."

Jess smacked him on the arm. "Don't be a jerk! I had to take advantage of the sales. Warmer weather is right around the corner, and I have to be ready for it."

Andrew rolled his eyes. "What about all of the clothes you have now that are packed into our closet?"

She looked at him, horrified. "But those are from last summer. A stylish young artist such as myself has to keep up with the latest fashions. What would people think of me if I didn't?"

"Says the woman that runs around most of the time in paint stained jeans and t shirts," he muttered, earning an elbow in his ribs.

"So what are we doing tonight?" Serena chirped. "Dinner, movie, perhaps both?" she asked sweetly, fluttering her eyes innocently at her fiancé.

"Definitely food," Jess moaned. "I need to recharge after our spree."

The women began talking about where to go eat while Andrew let his eyes wander. His gaze landed on the girl from earlier. She was sitting in a booth at the back with two boys. He could see light brown hair peeking out from underneath the baseball cap of the boy sitting next to her. They had been sitting there for a couple of hours now, not speaking and barely moving, Just sipping on sodas while they looked out the windows.

The girl, Katie she'd said her name was, had laid her head on the shoulder of the boy next to her some time ago and seemed to have fallen asleep. It was hard to tell because she was still wearing those sunglasses. In fact, all three teens were wearing hats and sunglasses, despite the fact that the sun had set long ago.

"Hey Liz," Andrew called out to his sister as she passed by. "It's about closing time. Shouldn't you be ushering those kids out of here?"

Lizzy looked at him in surprise. "Oh, I thought you knew. They came in here earlier with that friend of yours. You know, that tall lady with the long, dark green hair."

Serena perked up with interest. "You mean Trista?"

Lizzy nodded. "Yeah, that's the one. She asked if I had seen Rini, and I told her that she had left with Hotaru earlier. She went to go look for her and asked if they could stay here until they got back. I thought she would have been back by now."

Just then the doors opened again, ushering in a pale-faced Trista dragging a protesting Rini behind her.

"But Puu, why are we here?" Rini complained. "Hotaru and I had plans tonight."

Trista just pointed her finger at the back booth where all three teens had raised their heads at the sound of the pink haired girl's wails.

"Chill out, bubble gum brains," said the boy who was sitting alone. "It's not the end of the world, you know."

"Huh, speak for yourself," the girl huffed. "Personally, I think this is hell."

"You would, blondie," the boy snapped. "You think everything that doesn't go your way is hell."

The other boy just leaned down and laid his head on the table with a resounding thud.

Rini stared, struck speechless for a moment. Then she screeched. "Oh shit! No way! What the hell are you three doing here?

* * *

**A/N **So what do you think? Should I try to make a go at this, or scrap it and start over? Or should I just give up the ghost and move on to other things? I think this story has potential, but I want to know what you think. I don't normally beg for reviews, but in this case it would be awesome to hear from you. I'll post a note on this file when the first chapter is released, (if there's any interest in it) so that everyone who has Lunar Princess on alert will know. Catch you guys later!

~Sere~


	31. Author's Final Notes

Author's Final Notes

I just want to take the opportunity to thank every single person that took the time to read this story. Because of you, I feel that I can safely file Lunar Princess of the Earth under the category of being a wonderful success. You all have provided me with wonderful support, and I thank you all from the very bottom of my heart.

Now, since you demanded it, I am overwhelmingly excited to announce that the prologue to the sequel of this story, The Galactic Trinity, is now posted and waiting for you if any of you want to continue reading this humble writer's insane ramblings.

So let me grab a tissue to wipe my eyes as I say thank you one last time, and I hope to see all of my wonderful reviewers and people who put me on their alerts return to continue the ride in The Galactic Trinity. Luv ya guys!

Your Eternally Grateful Author – PrincessSerenity1976, aka Sere-chan


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